June 12, 2026
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on June 12 the arrest of Min Zin, a US citizen and executive director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP Myanmar), on charges of espionage and endangering China's national security.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that Min Zin has been placed under criminal detention by authorities in accordance with the law.
"Min Zin was placed under criminal detention on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities and endangering China's national security," Lin said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
According to the Chinese side, the US Consulate General in Guangzhou was notified of the arrest.
Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Min Zin was arrested after entering Kunming city, Yunnan province, about two weeks ago. However, Chinese officials have not yet released further details regarding the specific charges.
Min Zin is a prominent figure in Myanmar's political research community. He participated in the 1988 pro-democracy movement in Myanmar before moving to the US to study political science at the University of California, Berkeley.
He is also a co-founder of ISP Myanmar, a research organization that monitors political, economic, and security developments in Myanmar. After the 2021 military coup, the organization moved its operations outside Myanmar.
The arrest comes as US-China relations show signs of stabilizing after President Trump's visit to Beijing last month and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies.
The US Department of State and ISP Myanmar have not yet issued official comments on the incident.
