China Rejects US Claim of Wrongful Detention of Myanmar Expert

China has denied US claims that it wrongfully detained an American citizen. The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected Washington's designation, emphasizing that Myanmar scholar Min Zin, who has been held since early June, poses a threat to national security. This disagreement adds to the hurdles Beijing and Washington are trying to overcome to improve relations.

“China is a country governed by the rule of law, and there is no so-called wrongful detention,” the spokesperson said when asked about the case of Min Zin, the head of a research center on Myanmar.

“It is understood that the individual, an American, is suspected of engaging in activities that threaten China's national security, thereby violating Chinese law,” the spokesperson added.

The US State Department on Thursday designated Min Zin's detention as wrongful. This move requires Washington to prioritize securing his release.

The designation comes weeks before President Xi Jinping's planned White House visit. The Chinese leader's trip on September 24 follows President Donald Trump's May summit in Beijing.

The US and China have significant disagreements over conflicts in the Middle East and trade, among many other issues.

‘Top Priority’

Min Zin traveled to Yunnan, China, on June 3 to attend an academic conference at the invitation of the Chinese government, the US State Department said.

“The safety and security of American citizens is the State Department's top priority. We will continue to advocate for Mr. Zin and call for the release of all US citizens wrongfully detained or barred from exiting China,” the statement said.

Min Zin helped establish the Myanmar Institute for Strategy and Policy, which studies the political, resource, and economic dimensions of Myanmar's civil war following the 2021 military coup.

China and Myanmar share a border where Beijing wields strong influence and has been accused of supporting armed groups aligned with its interests.

China backs Myanmar's military government, which held a widely criticized election last year, excluding key opposition groups, including the party of ousted leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Before his detention, Min Zin lived in Thailand and spent time in both the US and Myanmar.

He is the second American citizen designated as wrongfully detained in China, following Youlin Chen. A Chinese-American seismologist from Boston, Chen was detained by Chinese authorities in 2024.

Chen's wife, Yufang Rong, said the designation showed that “the freedom of detainees is a priority for the Trump administration.”