Wife of Imprisoned US Scholar Urges Trump to Press Xi for Release

U Min Zin, a Myanmar-focused scholar and former student activist, has been incarcerated in China since June 3 on charges of espionage and endangering national security. His wife, Sylvia Zin, recently testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressing hope that President Donald Trump would advocate for his release during an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House.

The hearing, titled “Lives, Not Leverage: The Long Arm of China and North Korea’s Repression,” took place on Wednesday as Xi prepared for a state visit to Washington DC. Sylvia Zin highlighted the precedent set by previous diplomatic engagements, noting that Jin Mingri, an underground church leader, was freed two months after Trump raised the issue during a summit in Beijing.

Chairwoman Congresswoman Young Kim warned American travelers about the risks of being detained for political leverage. She stated that Beijing’s arrest of U Min Zin, who directs the Myanmar Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies, appeared designed to send a message regarding research that challenges Chinese interests.

Sylvia Zin also expressed confidence that Trump would secure the release of Chen Youlin, a US seismologist imprisoned in China for two years. Both men have been designated as “wrongfully detained” by the State Department, a classification that allows their cases to be handled by the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs and allocates additional government resources.

Speaking from Thailand, where she currently resides, Zin revealed that she has not yet had direct contact with her husband in jail. She described anxiety over monthly consular visits, which serve as the only confirmation that he is alive, and noted reports that he faced extensive interrogations upon arrival. A senior White House official confirmed that resolving the detentions of US citizens remains a top priority for the President.