China arrested a U.S. citizen and scholar for alleged espionage, a Chinese government spokesman confirmed Friday in a briefing.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said U Min Zin, an Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M) founder, faces “criminal compulsory measures,” according to CBS News. Min Zin is being held on allegations “of engaging in espionage and endangering China’s national security,” Lin added.

Min Zin was reportedly apprehended June 3 in Kumming a city in Yunnan province near Myanmar, according to The New York Times (NYT). An individual with professional ties to the ISP-M told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Min Zin was arrested June 3 at the Kunming airport, CBS News reported.

Another individual with a close relationship to the man in custody anonymouly told AFP that Min Zin had traveled to participate in a meeting, according to the outlet. “His family and colleagues are following up with the consulate office there. I know his family is worried,” the individual said.

NEW: China arrested a US citizen after Trump met with Xi in Beijing and accused him of endangering national security — a rare charge against an American. The detainee, U Min Zin, is a grad student at @UCBerkeley who researches Myanmar. This adds a new strain to US-China ties. pic.twitter.com/7XsRWsDgHH

— Edward Wong (@ewong) June 12, 2026

Min Zin was a student activist when a movement pushed for democracy in Myanmar in 1988, according to the BBC. He reportedly went to Thailand to escape arrest and later studied in the U.S. before returing to Myanmar in 2010. Min Zin had most recently resided in Thailand, according to the NYT. He has produced essays on Myanamar politics for the outlet’s opinion section. (RELATED: Spy World Says It’s Pivoting To China After Years Of Whistleblower Warnings)

A State Department spokesperson reacted to Min Zin’s arrest in a statement shared Thursday with CBS News.

“We are aware of reports regarding a U.S. citizen detained in China,” the spokesperson said. “Whenever a U.S. citizen is detained, we work to provide the appropriate consular assistance.”

Chinese Embassy in Washington spokesperson Liu Pengyu claimed that Min Zin’s “legitimate rights have been fully guaranteed.”

China apprehending U.S. citizens for alleged national security offenses is rare, the NYT reported. Min Zin’s arrest also follows President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Beijing, China’s capital.

Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to visit Beijing next week. Beijing has strong ties with Myanmar’s military government, which seized power during a 2021 coup, the BBC reported. Min Zin was set to address a conference in Kathmandu, Nepal, later in June.