U.S. Scholar Detained in China Deemed Wrongfully Held

The Trump administration has classified an American scholar detained in China as being wrongfully held. This decision comes after the individual traveled to China upon receiving an invitation from Beijing. This move escalates the situation just weeks before a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that U.S. citizen Min Zin is ‘wrongfully detained’ following a review of his detention on June 3 in Yunnan by the State Department. Zin had traveled to China to attend an academic conference at the invitation of the Chinese government, as mentioned by the State Department.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio was seen during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, the presidential retreat, on July 31, 2026, while the war with Iran continued. Trump had convened his Cabinet members at the retreat. This meeting was photographed by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.

Min Zin is one of two U.S. citizens that the State Department currently considers to be wrongfully detained in China. The other individual is Dr. Youlin Chen, a Chinese-born American seismologist from Boston.

Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson emphasized, “The safety and security of U.S. citizens is the State Department’s top priority. We will continue to advocate for Mr. Zin and call for the release of all U.S. citizens who are arbitrarily detained or exit banned in China.”

Upon arriving in China, Zin was detained at the airport and has since been held in isolation and subjected to repeated interrogations for nearly 11 weeks, according to a senior State Department official who spoke to Reuters.

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One official noted, “One minute his colleagues and family were engaging with him on the phone – exchanging updates on his arrival time and plans in China – and the next minute communication was lost.”

His family and colleagues lost contact for 48 hours, unaware of his whereabouts or whether he was alive, as described by the official.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was pictured speaking at an international business meeting at The Great Hall Of The People on March 28, 2025, in Beijing, China. This photo was captured by Ken Ishii – Pool/Getty Images.

Authorities in Yunnan later informed the U.S. Embassy that Zin was under criminal investigation for allegedly endangering China’s national security, according to Reuters. China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Zin’s arrest in June, citing suspicions of spying and national security threats.

Beijing has refuted claims of wrongful detention, asserting that such cases are handled in accordance with Chinese law.

The U.S. designation of ‘wrongfully detained’ can garner more government focus and resources toward securing Zin’s release. It also highlights the case as Xi’s anticipated visit to the White House approaches on September 24.

Photographs by Brendan Smialowski – Pool/Getty Images show China’s President Xi Jinping with US President Donald Trump during a visit to the Temple of Heaven on May 14, 2026, in Beijing, China.

Zin, an expert on Burma and Chinese foreign policy, leads the Institute for Strategy and Policy, a think tank dedicated to Burma. He participated in Burma’s 1988 pro-democracy uprising before seeking asylum in the United States.

The State Department confirmed ongoing efforts to secure Zin’s release, as well as the release of other Americans it believes are arbitrarily detained or barred from leaving China.

The Associated Press also contributed to this report.