China invited an American academic, now Trump admin confirms he is wrongfully detained
WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Thursday, August 20, that Min Zin, a US academic invited by China to address a conference, has been wrongfully detained in the country.
After a long stretch of strained relations, the US and China have appeared to ease tensions, with Trump visiting Beijing in May and inviting Xi Jinping to Washington in September.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially designated American scholar Min Zin as wrongfully detained after Chinese authorities arrested him at a Yunnan airport during a government-invited academic conference.
— UnveiledChina (@Unveiled_ChinaX) August 20, 2026
Min Zin, who serves as executive director of the Institute for… https://t.co/ITjC7gS7Xf pic.twitter.com/oelWFl6kw6
Marco Rubio confirms an American wrongfully held in China
"Secretary Rubio has formally designated US citizen Min Zin as wrongfully detained," Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, said on Thursday on X.
"We call on Beijing to release all US citizens arbitrarily detained or exit-banned in China. The safety and security of US citizens is the State Department's top priority," Johnson added.
Min Zin was designated as wrongfully detained after "an extensive review of the circumstances" surrounding his June 3 apprehension in Yunnan, a province in southwestern China, the State Department said.
The department further said that Zin was invited there by the Chinese government for an academic conference.
Secretary Rubio has formally designated U.S. citizen Min Zin as wrongfully detained. We call on Beijing to release all U.S. citizens arbitrarily detained or exit banned in China.
— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) August 20, 2026
The safety and security of U.S. citizens is the State Department's top priority.
China accuses Min Zin of 'espionage'
Chinese Foreign Minister Lin Jian said in June that Min Zin was being held on suspicion "of engaging in espionage and endangering China's national security.” The minister did not provide any additional information.
Min Zin, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy - Myanmar, is the second American academic to be designated as wrongfully detained in recent months.
The other American is Dr Youlin Chen, whose wife said in a statement Thursday she was glad to see the latest designation.
A Boston seismologist has spent nearly two years trapped in a foreign prison over public research anyone can find on Google. Dr. Youlin Chen, a 54-year-old naturalized US citizen, was dragged away by Chinese state security at Beijing International Airport on November 5, 2024, and… https://t.co/vRZS036HIu pic.twitter.com/NPNLpwzahr
— UnveiledChina (@Unveiled_ChinaX) July 14, 2026
"I am glad to see that Secretary Rubio has designated Min Zin as a wrongful detainee," said Youlin's wife, Dr Yufang Rong.
"It meant a great deal to me when my husband, Youlin Chen, was designated because it means that his freedom is a priority for the Trump Administration. I hope it gives the same comfort to Min Zin and his family," she added.
Chinese Embassy insists Min Zin's rights are protected
When CBS News reached out to the Chinese Embassy in June, the embassy said that Min Zin's "legitimate rights have been fully guaranteed."
His arrest took place a few weeks after President Trump attended a summit in Beijing with China's President Xi Jinping and called it an "incredible visit." Xi Jinping is planning to visit the US and Trump in late September.
