BEIJING: China said Friday it was holding an American citizen accused of espionage, identifying the man as a political analyst at a policy think tank focusing on neighboring Myanmar.
Min Zin — a founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M) — “has been subjected to criminal compulsory measures,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news briefing.
Authorities are holding him “on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security,” he said, without providing further details.
The ISP-M researches the political, resource and conflict dynamics of Myanmar, which was plunged into civil war by a 2021 coup.
Some of their publications detail China’s influence in the borderlands of Myanmar, where Beijing is accused of supporting armed factions which suit its national interests.
