China arrests US researcher it says is suspected of ‘spying’

China says it is holding an American citizen accused of espionage, identifying the man as a political analyst at a policy think tank focusing on neighbouring Myanmar.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrest of the man on suspicion of “spying” and “endangering national security” on Friday, a day after United States media reports said a scholar holding dual US and Myanmar citizenship was detained in early June.

Min Zin – a founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M) – “has been subjected to criminal compulsory measures”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news briefing.

Lin said China had notified the US consulate general in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou of the arrest.

The ISP-M researches the political, resource and conflict dynamics of Myanmar, which was plunged into civil war by a 2021 coup.

News of the arrest comes as Beijing’s Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing is set to visit China from June 15 to 19.

The arrest also follows US President Donald Trump’s state visit to China in mid-May as Washington attempted to ease tensions resulting from the tariff war Trump ignited last year.

Trump has said he plans to welcome his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to Washington in late September.