Wife of American scholar wrongfully detained in China wants Trump to press Xi to release him

September 23, 2026 / 8:47 AM EDT / CBS News

Wife of American scholar wrongfully detained in China wants Trump to press Xi to release him

TL;DR

  • American scholar Min Zin has been detained in China for over 100 days without formal charges or a trial date.
  • His wife, Sylvia Zin, believes he is being held in a 'black site' by China's Ministry of State Security and is urging President Trump to seek his release.
  • The U.S. State Department has issued a warning to Americans traveling to China due to the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention.
  • Min Zin's work focuses on China's role in Myanmar, and his organization has received U.S. government funding.
  • Another American academic, Dr. Youlin Chen, is also considered wrongfully detained by the U.S.
  • President Trump is expected to raise the issue of Americans arbitrarily detained in China with President Xi Jinping.