US treats detained scholar Min Zin as wrongfully held in China
Why it matters: The move makes his release a top U.S. priority ahead of Xi Jinping's expected Sept. 24 White House visit.
The United States has designated U.S. citizen and Myanmar scholar Min Zin as wrongfully detained after Chinese authorities arrested him in Yunnan in June, elevating the case within Washington as it pushes for his release. A senior State Department official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the determination after reviewing the case. Min Zin, who leads a think tank focused on Myanmar, traveled to Kunming on June 3 for an academic conference after receiving an invitation from the Chinese government, the official said. He was detained at the airport and later accused of endangering China's national security. The designation comes weeks before President Donald Trump is due to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House.