US raises alarm over American detained in China

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Trending on The Hill - August 20, 2026

Trending on The Hill - August 20, 2026

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It’s Thursday, and we’ve got some big news from Cate Martel! 

Your usual 12:30 correspondent welcomed a new baby, Liam, and is out for the next few months on maternity leave! 🍼👶

Programming note: We will have a rotating cast of Hill folks taking the reins while she’s out. For today, we’re Abigail Walker and Claire Leibowitz. Please send your tips, comments and story ideas to awalker@thehill.com or cleibowitz@thehill.com.  

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US deems Min Zin ‘wrongfully detained’ 

Andy Wong, Associated Press

An American citizen who runs a think tank focused on politics in Myanmar was arrested in China, and U.S. officials are now highlighting the “significant deterioration” in his treatment. 

What happened?: Min Zin was arrested in June, but U.S. officials on Thursday designated him as “wrongfully detained,” a powerful label “that makes advocating for his release a top U.S. priority,” The Hill’s Laura Kelly reports.  

He had a 10-year visa to enter China and frequently attended academic conferences in the country. He was detained upon his arrival on June 3, accused of spying and endangering China’s national security. 

How is he being treated?: Zin is being held at an unknown location, which means U.S. consular officials cannot observe his living conditions and can only see him when Chinese officials bring him to a hotel. He was placed at the opposite end of a long conference table during the last conversation, making communication difficult. 

Not normal: “Chinese authorities barred U.S. officials from discussing with Min Zin any questions related to his case, interrogation, treatment, his work on Myanmar or his colleagues,” Kelly writes. “A consular officer, who has dealt with Americans detained in China for more than two years, called it one of the most disruptive and restrictive visits he’s ever experienced, according to the account.” 

Officials are also concerned about Chinese authorities blocking basic humanitarian care for Zin, including blocking reading materials and keeping him in constant light, blocking his ability........

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