The▁US▁directly▁addressed the▁Min Xin,▁Chen▁Yu Xin▁case in▁Beijing:▁two U.S.▁citizens were▁listed▁as “illegal▁detention”

▁On▁October▁1, the▁United▁States▁Department of▁State▁confirmed that the▁United▁States▁had▁submitted▁directly to the▁Chinese▁Government the▁cases of▁Min Zin,▁an▁American▁scholar of▁Myanmar▁origin, and Yilin▁Chen,▁an▁American▁seismologist of▁Chinese▁origin, and▁requested that▁China▁release▁both. The▁President of the▁United▁States, Trump,▁also▁stated on▁30▁September that he▁had▁spoken about▁United▁States▁citizens and▁Chinese▁political▁prisoners in▁Chinese▁custody▁during his▁meeting with▁Chinese▁President▁Xi▁Jinping▁last▁week.

This▁has▁raised the▁two▁separate▁cases to the▁highest▁American▁diplomatic▁agenda. <a href="https://www.voachinese.com/a/trump-says-he-discussed-release-political-prisoners-with-xi-20261001t/8206724.html"target" rel = "nopener noreferrer" data-linked-reference = "tru" data-reference-label = "the▁Voice of▁America" </a" > ,▁says the▁State▁Department▁has▁identified▁both▁as▁being “wrongful Detained (illegal▁detention),▁such▁determination▁implies that the▁case is▁classified▁as a▁priority for the▁United▁States▁Government in▁overseas▁detention▁cases.

▁Min▁Sin:▁arrested▁after going to▁Kunming to▁attend▁academic▁conference

▁Min▁Sin is 53▁years▁old and is the▁executive▁director of the▁Myanmar▁American▁scholar and the▁Myanmar▁Policy▁Research▁Institute, ISP-Myanmar. ▁According to his▁family, he was▁detained▁by the▁Chinese▁authorities▁after he▁went to▁Yunnan▁Kunming on▁3▁June to▁attend▁an▁academic▁conference. The▁Chinese▁Ministry of▁Foreign▁Affairs▁subsequently▁confirmed his▁arrest and▁stated that the▁case▁involved▁suspected▁espionage and▁endangering▁national▁security.

In▁August, the▁United▁States▁Department of▁State▁classified▁Min Xin▁as “illegal▁detention”. <a href="https://www.voachinese.com/a/voa-exclusive-min-zin-wife-we-are-waiting-for-you-to-come-home-20260922/8202469.html"target" = _blank" rel = `noopener noreferrer'▁data-linked-reference= trtrue'▁data-reference-label= >US▁Voice" >▁His▁wife▁Sylvia Xin▁said in▁an▁interview with▁Voice of▁America in▁September </a> that▁United▁States▁consular▁staff were▁allowed▁monthly▁visits but that▁family▁members were not in▁free▁contact with▁Min Xin. The▁confirmation▁by the▁United▁States that the▁case▁had▁been▁brought▁directly in▁Beijing▁meant that▁diplomatic▁representations▁had▁escalated from▁consular▁visits to▁express▁requests for▁release.

▁Chen▁Yu Xuan: No▁public▁trial▁has▁been▁held▁since the▁trial on▁charges of▁espionage.

▁Chen▁Yu, 54▁years▁old,▁born in▁China,▁became a▁citizen of the▁United▁States,▁long-standing in▁seismology▁research and▁participated in the▁Democratic▁People ' s▁Republic of▁Korea▁Nuclear▁Test▁Earthquake▁Monitoring▁Project,▁funded▁by the▁United▁States▁Government. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/china-detains-us-seismologist-who-has-studied-north-korean-nuclear-tests-2026-07-13/"target" rel = "nopener noreferrer"▁data-linked-reference = "tru"▁data-reference-label = "Reuter" >▁Reuters and▁Associated▁Press▁revealed in▁July </a" that he was▁arrested in▁Beijing▁by▁State▁security▁agents▁during his▁family▁visit in▁November▁2024 and▁subsequently▁charged with▁espionage.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-detention-xi-trump-chen-youlin-8a77ac4776cf1c88005f65e6c331b7a0"target" = _blank" rel = `noopener noreferrer' data-linked-reference= `tru' data-reference-label="Associated▁Associated▁Press▁reports </a> that▁US▁Secretary of▁State▁Rubio▁Lubio▁has▁classified▁Chen▁Yushu▁as “illegal▁detention” in▁March this▁year. ▁His▁wife,▁Yoon▁Yuang,▁claimed that▁Chen▁Yu Xuan was▁unable to▁speak to his▁family for a▁long time▁after his▁detention and that the▁United▁States▁Embassy▁staff,▁although▁allowed to▁visit him, could not▁discuss the▁case▁itself with him. The▁spokesman for the▁Chinese▁Foreign▁Ministry,▁Lin Kian,▁had▁previously▁responded that there was no so-called “illegal▁detention” in▁China and that the▁judicial▁authorities were▁conducting the▁case in▁accordance with the▁law.

The▁professional▁background of▁Chen▁Yu Xuan▁has▁given the▁case▁additional▁attention. He▁has▁been▁involved in▁research on the▁use of▁seismic▁data to▁identify▁underground▁nuclear▁tests. (b) The▁families and▁organizations▁assisting in▁rescue are of the▁view that▁detention▁may be▁relevant to▁their▁research▁experience; This▁judgement▁belongs to the▁family and the▁initiative ' s▁presumption that the▁Government of▁China▁has not▁publicly▁stated the▁specific▁evidence▁involved in the▁allegations.

The▁lack of▁transparency of▁information in▁both▁cases,▁which▁points to▁national▁security▁cases

▁Min Xin and▁Chen▁Yu Xuan▁cases have▁different▁backgrounds, but the▁common▁denominator is that they have▁entered the▁Chinese▁judicial▁system on▁charges▁related to▁national▁security▁or▁espionage, and that there▁has▁been a▁long-standing▁lack of▁public▁information. ▁China▁emphasizes that the▁case is▁being▁conducted in▁accordance with the▁law,▁while the▁United▁States▁has▁sought▁release▁through “illegal▁detention” and▁at the▁level of the▁Head of▁State. ▁There are▁fundamental▁differences in the▁nature of the▁cases▁expressed▁by the▁parties.

▁At the▁procedural▁level, the▁full▁prosecution▁materials, the▁list of▁evidence and the▁public▁hearings in▁both▁cases are▁still not▁available to the▁outside▁world. This▁information▁gap▁makes it▁difficult for▁families, the▁media and▁diplomatic▁agencies to▁independently▁judge the▁duration of▁detention, the▁facts of the▁charges and the▁pace of the▁proceedings in▁cases▁involving▁foreign▁national▁security, and▁makes it▁easier for▁cases to be▁transformed▁into▁diplomatic▁disputes.

▁On▁30▁September, Trump▁confirmed that he▁had▁spoken with▁Xi about the▁detention of▁Americans and▁Chinese▁political▁prisoners, but that there was no▁public▁agreement▁between the▁two▁sides on a▁specific▁release▁arrangement. ▁As▁at 2▁October,▁China▁had not▁disclosed any▁procedural▁changes in the▁Min Xin▁or▁Chen▁Yu Xin▁cases. ▁Of▁greatest▁concern▁then is▁whether they will have▁access to▁public▁hearings,▁whether▁access to▁lawyers and▁consular▁contacts will be▁further▁expanded, and▁whether▁both▁sides will have▁specific▁arrangements for▁release▁or▁repatriation.