BEIJING -- China confirmed the arrest of Min Zin, a United States citizen and director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP) - Myanmar, on suspicion of espionage. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that Zin was placed under criminal detention for endangering Chinese national security.
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Zin, a former student activist and UC Berkeley political science graduate, was detained at Kunming airport approximately two weeks ago. Beijing has notified the US consulate in Guangzhou of the arrest.
The detention arrives as Washington and Beijing work to stabilize bilateral relations following President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing last month. Zin’s ISP tracks the protracted civil war in Myanmar, which erupted after the 2021 military coup. While China publicly backs Myanmar’s new administration, Zin’s organization monitors the conflict closely.
The US State Department and ISP-Myanmar have not yet commented on the allegations.