China’s foreign ministry confirmed on Friday the arrest of Min Zin, a U.S. citizen leading a Myanmar-focused think tank, on suspicion of espionage and endangering Chinese national security.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, “It is understood that Min Zin has been placed under criminal detention by the relevant authorities in accordance with the law on suspicion of engaging in espionage and endangering China’s national security.”
China has notified the U.S. consulate general in Guangzhou of the arrest.
Min Zin, executive director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP) – Myanmar, was detained after arriving in Kunming, southwest China.
Three anonymous sources confirmed his apprehension, with one noting, “Min Zin was arrested at Kunming airport about two weeks ago,” and declining to provide further details.
The U.S. State Department and ISP-Myanmar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The detention comes as the U.S. and China are working to steady their frayed bilateral relationship following President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing last month.
A former student activist in Myanmar’s 1988 democracy movement, Min Zin studied political science at the University of California, Berkeley.
He co-founded the ISP, which moved overseas after the 2021 coup when the military ousted Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government.
The coup plunged Myanmar into a protracted civil war, a conflict closely tracked by Min Zin’s ISP.
The think tank’s recent publications have focused on Myanmar’s political transition, including junta chief Min Aung Hlaing’s presidency after a military-engineered election, and the country’s failing economy.
China has publicly backed Myanmar’s new administration, which took office after a widely criticized vote that excluded major opposition groups, including Suu Kyi’s political party.
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