China Has Arrested U.S. Scholar Who Studies Myanmar Politics
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Chinese security officers have arrested U Min Zin, an American citizen and political scientist studying Myanmar, accusing him of endangering national security and spying.
- Mr. Min Zin disappeared on June 3 in Kunming, Yunnan Province, near the Myanmar border, and the Chinese government has notified the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou about his detention.
- The arrest is unusual given the sensitive diplomatic context, as China and the U.S. are attempting to build a cooperative partnership under Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.
- Mr. Min Zin is the executive director of a policy research group originally based in Yangon, Myanmar, and has contributed political analysis on Myanmar to major publications like The New York Times and Foreign Policy.
- He has lived in the U.S., Myanmar, and currently resides in Thailand, with his work focusing on the political situation following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup.