China has arrested a US scholar who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy on suspicion of spying. Min Zin was suspected of “engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Lin Jian, said on Friday.
Unusual Arrest Amid Diplomatic Reset
It is uncommon for Beijing to arrest a US citizen on national security allegations. The case comes just a month after Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing as the two countries aim to reset their tumultuous relationship.
Disappearance in Kunming
A Burmese activist, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of arrest, said Min Zin disappeared on 3 June after traveling to Kunming, Yunnan province, for a conference. The activist noted that Min Zin had visited China numerous times before.
Min Zin was a student activist during Myanmar’s 1988 uprising, a student-led movement that the then-government suppressed with military force. He later sought asylum in the United States. According to the activist, he was not currently involved in any direct activism work.
Thinktank and Academic Work
Min Zin founded a thinktank called ISP Myanmar, which in recent years has focused on Chinese foreign policy and trade with Myanmar, located on China’s south-west border. The thinktank exchanged ideas with Chinese thinktanks and published reports on issues such as Myanmar’s rare-earth exports to China. He is also a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley.
