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Espionage · Geopolitics · Investment Risk · US-China Relations
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian confirmed the arrest of American scholar Min Zin on June 12, 2026, on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security, marking an unusual detention of a U.S. citizen.
The arrest of Min Zin, a U.S. citizen and Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, occurred on June 3 in Kunming, Yunnan province, after he attended a conference. Min Zin, who founded the think tank ISP Myanmar, has extensively researched Chinese foreign policy and trade with Myanmar, including its rare earth exports.
This detention follows a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping just a month prior, which aimed to reset the tumultuous relationship between the two nations. The U.S. State Department confirmed Min Zin's detention, stating that consular officers have visited him and are providing all appropriate assistance while engaging with Chinese officials.
Amnesty International, through its Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman, called for Min Zin’s immediate release, expressing extreme concern over the circumstances and the espionage charge. Min Zin was a student activist in Myanmar's 1988 uprising and later sought asylum in the U.S.
