China Arrests US Scholar on Spy Charges
China has arrested an American scholar named Min Zin. He was arrested on suspicion of spying.
Min Zin disappeared on June 3 after flying into Kunming in China's Yunnan province. China's foreign affairs spokesperson said Min Zin endangered China's national security.
China told the US consulate in Guangzhou about the arrest. The arrest happened shortly after President Trump met China's leader Xi Jinping.
Min Zin is a graduate student at UC Berkeley in California. He studies Myanmar affairs and Chinese foreign policy. He also leads a research group based in Yangon, Myanmar.
Klear Note — China sometimes arrests foreign scholars on spy charges. These arrests often happen during tense US-China relations. Scholars studying sensitive topics face higher risk.
Key Terms 4
- espionage Spying — secretly gathering information for another country
- consulate An office that helps citizens of one country living abroad
- Yunnan province A region in southern China near the Myanmar border
- Yangon The largest city in Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia