A Statement From Our Chairman On China’s Detention of U Min Zin

By: Randall G. Schriver |

The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security condemns, in the strongest terms, the wrongful detention of U.S. citizen U Min Zin by the government of the People’s Republic of China. Min Zin is the founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar) and a strong advocate for democracy and civil rights in Myanmar. Min Zin is also a long-time friend of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security and its predecessor, the Project 2049 Institute.

Min Zin was detained upon his arrival to Kunming, which he was visiting at the invitation of a Chinese academic institution, earlier this month and has been held by the Chinese government on suspicion of espionage. These charges are baseless: Min Zin and ISP-Myanmar conduct independent academic research on governance and human rights issues in Myanmar. The PRC has acted egregiously and in a manner entirely inconsistent with the “constructive relationship of strategic stability” on which Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump agreed this spring.

The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security calls on the U.S. Department of State to designate Min Zin as wrongfully detained and make every effort to ensure his timely release. The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security also calls on the Chinese government to immediately release Min Zin and facilitate his safe return home to be reunited with his wife and daughter.

The Honorable Randall G. Schriver

Chairman
The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security