China rejects US claim that Myanmar analyst wrongfully detained

China has denied a claim by Washington that it has wrongfully detained a United States citizen.

Rejecting the US designation on Friday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that Myanmar scholar Min Zin, who has been detained since early June, is a danger to national security. The disagreement adds to the obstacles that Beijing and Washington seek to move past in order to improve relations.

“China is a country governed by the rule of law, and there is no such thing as so-called wrongful detention,” said a spokesman when asked about the case of Min Zin, who leads a think tank that studies Myanmar.

“It is understood that the relevant US individual in question is suspected of engaging in activities that endanger China’s national security, thereby violating Chinese law,” the spokesman added.

The US Department of State designated Min Zin’s detainment as wrongful on Thursday. The move requires that Washington make securing his release a priority.

The designation came weeks before a planned visit to the White House by President Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader’s September 24 trip follows President Donald Trump’s May summit in Beijing.

The US and China have significant differences of opinion regarding the conflicts in the Middle East and trade, among other issues.

Min Zin had travelled to Yunnan, China on June 3 to attend an academic conference at the invitation of the Chinese government, the State Department said.