A US citizen and scholar who vanished shortly after traveling to China has been designated as ‘wrongfully detained.’
Min Zin, a Myanmar scholar, was invited to Yunnan by a professor to attend a workshop on economic cooperation. But after landing on June 3, he suddenly disappeared, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Min Zin sent his family a text in the afternoon: ‘Just landed in Kunming.’ They say they have not been in contact with him since he sent the message.
On June 5, Sylvia, Min Zin’s wife, was told by the US Consulate in Guangzhou that he had been detained in Yunnan province.
The scholar is accused of endangering Chinese national security. This comes just weeks before President Trump is scheduled to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House, on September 24.
‘Secretary Rubio has determined that US citizen Min Zin is wrongfully detained in China,’ the US Department of State said in a press release.
‘This follows an extensive review of the circumstances surrounding his June 3 detention in Yunnan, China, where Mr Zin had traveled to attend an academic conference at the invitation of the Chinese government,’ the spokesperson added.
While details of Min Zin’s detention remain unclear, officials believe his past as a Myanmar student activist and his US-funded academic work may have drawn eyes from Chinese security officials.
Min Zin, a Myanmar scholar, was invited to Yunnan by a professor to attend a workshop on economic cooperation. But after landing in on June 3, he suddenly disappeared
The scholar was born in Myanmar, a country in southeast Asia, before moving to the US and becoming a citizen. His research focused on Myanmar’s democracy and ethnic conflicts, and has received US government funding, his family’s spokeswoman told the WSJ.
He was also involved in protests against Myanmar’s military in 1988. Despite this, he had traveled to China for academic events without problems, including a Chinese government-backed conference in October 2025.
Liu Chang, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the US, said Min Zin is being investigated for a criminal offense, adding that his legal rights are being protected.
The scholar’s family spokeswoman says Min Zin is being held in an unknown location under ‘residential surveillance.’
Residential surveillance has been openly criticized by the United Nations. It allows authorities to question and hold suspects in a secret location for up to six months without charging them.
The family’s account matches others who have faced residential surveillance: They say Min Zin is being held in a small, windowless room with a bed and toilet, kept lit around the clock. One to two guards are in the room with him.
Min Zin is kept inside and questioned for four to six hours a day, according to the family spokeswoman. He was given one day off from questioning on July 4.
When not being questioned, he meditates for several hours and has had no contact with his family. He has met with a US Consulate official three times for 30 minutes, with Chinese officials watching and is not allowed to discuss his case.
This comes just weeks before President Trump is scheduled to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House , on September 24
Officials expect Min Zin and other detainees in China to be among the issues President Trump raises with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet in Washington this month
The spokeswoman added that he appears to be in good health but has complained of knee pain.
‘Min Zin was lured to China by official government organizations and entrapped by Chinese security services. The accusations against him are completely unfounded,’ according to the US State Department.
‘There are now two wrongfully detained US citizens in China: Mr Zin and Dr Youlin Chen,’ the press release added.
Officials expect Min Zin and other detainees in China to be among the issues President Trump raises with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet in Washington this month.
The Daily Mail reached out to the US Department of State for comment.
