Secretary of State Marco Rubio designates American scholar Min Zin as wrongfully detained in China
The administration announced that American scholar Min Zin has been designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined this status after an extensive review of the circumstances surrounding Min Zin's detention in China since early June. Min Zin traveled to China at the invitation of the Chinese government to attend an academic conference. However, he was detained immediately upon arrival in Yunnan and has been held in solitary confinement for nearly 11 weeks. While Chinese authorities suspect him of spying and endangering national security, his brother, Aung Maw Zin, noted that Min Zin's research focuses solely on Myanmar and is not anti-China. This designation comes ahead of an expected meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Trump in the United States next month. The administration remains committed to advocating for the release of all U.S. citizens who are arbitrarily detained or exit banned in China.