The U.S. Department of State has declared Min Zin, a U.S. citizen and scholar originally from Myanmar, as "wrongfully detained" in China. The designation follows an extensive review of the circumstances surrounding his detention on June 3 in Yunnan province. Min Zin had traveled to China at the invitation of a professor to attend a workshop on economic cooperation.
Min Zin sent his family a text message upon landing in Kunming on June 3, stating, "Just landed in Kunming." They have not heard from him since. On June 5, his wife, Sylvia, was informed by the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou that Min Zin had been detained.
The scholar is accused by Chinese authorities of endangering national security. U.S. officials believe his past as a Myanmar student activist and his U.S.-funded academic work, which focused on Myanmar’s democracy and ethnic conflicts, may have drawn the attention of Chinese security officials. Despite past involvement in protests against Myanmar's military in 1988, Min Zin had previously traveled to China for academic events without issue, including a Chinese government-backed conference in October 2025.
Details of Min Zin's detention remain unclear. He is reportedly being held under "residential surveillance," a practice criticized by the United Nations that allows authorities to question and hold suspects in secret locations for up to six months without formal charges. According to his family’s spokeswoman, Min Zin is being held in a small, windowless room, with one to two guards present. He is questioned for four to six hours daily, with one day off on July 4. When not being questioned, he meditates. He has had no contact with his family but has met with a U.S. Consulate official three times for 30-minute sessions, during which Chinese officials were present and Min Zin was not permitted to discuss his case.
The U.S. State Department stated that Min Zin was "lured to China by official government organizations and entrapped by Chinese security services" and that the accusations against him are "completely unfounded." The department also noted that there are now two U.S. citizens wrongfully detained in China, including Dr. Youlin Chen.
This development comes just weeks before President Trump is scheduled to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House on September 24. Officials expect the issue of Min Zin and other detained Americans in China to be among the topics President Trump raises with President Xi during their meeting.
Liu Chang, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., stated that Min Zin is being investigated for a criminal offense and that his legal rights are being protected. Min Zin's family spokeswoman indicated that he appears to be in good health, though he has complained of knee pain.
