Chinese authorities have arrested Min Zin, an American scholar and U.S. citizen, on suspicion of spying. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian stated on Friday that Min Zin is suspected of engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security.
Min Zin, a Myanmar-born former student activist from the 1988 uprising who later sought asylum in the U.S., reportedly disappeared on June 3 after traveling to Kunming in China’s Yunnan province for a conference. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley.
As the founder of the think tank ISP Myanmar, Min Zin has written about Chinese foreign policy and trade with Myanmar, including Myanmar’s rare earth exports to China. The think tank has been involved in regular exchanges with Chinese research organizations.
The arrest occurs just a month after U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing as the two countries aim to reset a tumultuous relationship. It is uncommon for Beijing to arrest a U.S. citizen on national security allegations.