U.S. State Department sets tone on American scholar Min Xin's "wrongful detention" in China

Min Zin, a Burmese-American scholar, was invited to China in June and was arrested upon arrival. Schematic diagram. (European News Agency file photo)

Just before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to the United States, the U.S. State Department on the 20th stated that Min Zin, a Burmese-American scholar, was arrested by the Chinese government in June and was improperly detained by China. The State Department's move will make fighting for Min-sin's release a top priority for the United States.

Reuters reported on the 20th that the U.S. State Department stated in a statement that after a comprehensive review of the case, Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Min Xin "was wrongly detained in China." The State Department also called on Beijing to release other detained Americans. In addition to Minxin, the United States also listed Chinese-American seismologist Youlin Chen (transliteration) as being improperly detained by China, believing that China's accusations against him were groundless.

The U.S. government set the tone on this matter when Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to visit the White House on September 24 to meet with U.S. President Trump. Human rights groups have urged the United States to pressure China to release Min Xin.

Myint Sin, who studies Myanmar politics, was arrested by China in June on "suspected of espionage and endangering China's national security." The U.S. State Department stated that Min Xin went to Kunming, Yunnan, to attend an academic conference at the invitation of the Chinese government on June 3. He was arrested at the airport after arriving in Yunnan. A senior State Department official described that Min Xin was still on the phone with colleagues and family, informing him of his arrival time and his schedule in China. "The next minute communications were interrupted, and relatives and friends could not contact him for up to 48 hours. They had no idea where he had gone, whether he was safe, or who might have kidnapped him."

Yunnan authorities later notified the U.S. Embassy, ​​and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on June 12 that Min Xin was under "criminal detention." The State Department official said that Minxin had been "repeatedly interrogated, isolated and detained" for nearly 11 weeks.

Human rights groups say China has long used "hostage diplomacy" to detain foreigners to increase leverage in bilateral relations. Some former Trump administration officials also campaigned for Min Xin's release, calling on Trump to raise the matter with China. The State Department official said, "The Min Xin case has caused great concern among other scholars about whether they may also be trapped and detained by China."