**Wife of US Scholar Imprisoned in China Appeals to Trump for His Release During Xi Meeting**
The wife of U Min Zin, a US scholar imprisoned in China on allegations of spying and endangering national security, has urged President Donald Trump to address her husband's situation during his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House. U Min Zin, who serves as the director of a think tank focused on Myanmar, was arrested on June 3, 2023, while attending an academic conference in Kunming, China.
Sylvia Zin, U Min Zin's wife, expressed her hopes for her husband's release during a testimony before Congress on Wednesday. She emphasized her belief that President Trump would raise her husband's case during the summit scheduled for next week. "I'm deeply hopeful that President Trump will raise my husband's case with President Xi Jinping at the summit next week," she stated.
Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, D.C., is set for Wednesday and follows a previous meeting where Trump visited Beijing in May. In anticipation of the summit, families of other prisoners held in China have traveled to the U.S. capital to advocate for their loved ones. Sylvia Zin was among those who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee's East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, which held a hearing titled "Lives, Not Leverage: The Long Arm of China and North Korea's Repression."
During her remarks, Sylvia Zin also mentioned Chen Youlin, a US seismologist imprisoned in China for two years, and expressed confidence that Trump could facilitate his release as well. "Knowing the president's historic record on bringing wrongfully detained Americans home has reassured me that he will also be able to secure the swift release of Min Zin and other wrongfully detained citizens," she said.
Congresswoman Young Kim, chairwoman of the subcommittee, opened the hearing with a warning to Americans traveling to China, stating, "If you travel to China, Beijing may take you hostage as leverage in diplomatic negotiation." She highlighted the implications of U Min Zin's arrest, suggesting that it was a strategic move by Beijing to send a message to researchers whose work may be seen as inconvenient.
U Min Zin is a notable figure, having been a student activist during Myanmar's 1988 pro-democracy movement. He currently directs the Myanmar Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies (ISP-Myanmar), which focuses on China's influence and interests in Myanmar.
In a related case, the son of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai also appeared before Congress, urging President Trump to advocate for his father's release. Trump had previously mentioned that he raised Lai's case with Xi, noting that it would be a "tough one" to resolve.
A senior official from the White House, speaking anonymously, reaffirmed the administration's commitment to addressing wrongful detentions of US citizens, stating, "Resolving the wrongful detentions of US citizens is always a top priority for the President."
The US State Department has classified both U Min Zin and Chen Youlin as "wrongfully detained," a designation that allows their cases to be escalated to the office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs. This designation increases the visibility of their situations and enables the government to allocate more resources toward securing their release.
Sylvia Zin, who currently resides in Thailand, shared her emotional struggle during her testimony, revealing that she has not been able to communicate with her husband since his arrest. "Every month, we anxiously await his consular visits because they reassure us that he is alive," she said. She also recounted that US officials informed her that her husband was subjected to extensive interrogations upon his arrival in jail, with sessions lasting up to six hours each day.
As the meeting between Trump and Xi approaches, the families of detained Americans remain hopeful for a positive outcome. Sylvia Zin's appeal underscores the ongoing tensions between the US and China regarding human rights and the treatment of foreign nationals within Chinese custody. The international community will be watching closely to see if the high-level discussions will lead to any significant developments in these cases.