The wife of U Min Zin, a US scholar imprisoned in China on charges of spying and endangering national security, has urged President Donald Trump to discuss her husband’s release with Chinese President Xi Jinping during Xi’s upcoming visit to the White House. U Min Zin, who directs a think tank focused on Myanmar, was detained in June after attending an academic conference in China. His wife, Sylvia Zin, expressed hope that Trump’s history of securing the release of wrongfully detained Americans would extend to her husband and Chen Youlin, another US citizen held in China. Sylvia Zin testified before Congress, emphasizing the importance of addressing these detentions. Congresswoman Young Kim warned Americans about the risks of traveling to China, suggesting that Beijing might use them as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. The US State Department has labeled the detentions of U Min Zin and Chen Youlin as wrongful, allowing their cases to be handled by the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which could increase their chances of resolution.
QUESTION: How might international diplomatic relations be impacted if countries use the detention of foreign nationals as leverage in negotiations?
Wife of US scholar jailed in China asks Trump to raise arrest at Xi meeting
