China arrests US researcher on charges of “espionage and endangering national security”

China has arrested a US citizen on suspicion of espionage, the country's government confirmed on Friday, identifying the man as a political analyst with a policy unit focused on neighboring Myanmar.

UU Min Zin, founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M), has faced “criminal coercive measures,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a briefing on Friday.

Authorities arrested him on suspicion of “engaging in espionage and endangering China's national security,” Lin said, without giving further details.

ISP-M says it studies politics, resources and conflict in Myanmar, which descended into civil war following a military coup in 2021.

Some of the group's books contain details of Beijing influence in the region spanning the China-Myanmar borderwhere Beijing is accused of supporting armed groups that align with its national interests.

It is not clear whether U Min Zin was doing research while he was detained by the Chinese authorities. His biography on the ISP-M website describes him as a “founding member and Executive Director” of the think tank.

A person with professional ties to ISP-M, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the case, told AFP that U Min Zin was arrested on June 3 at Kunming airport in Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar.

“He went there to attend a meeting,” said someone close to the arrested scholar who asked that his name be withheld.

Chinese authorities say the US embassy in Guangzhou has been informed of the case.

“His family and colleagues are following the existing embassy,” said a second source. “I know his family is worried.”

Neither ISP-M nor the Chinese Embassy in Washington responded to CBS News' requests for comment on the arrest.

“We are aware of reports of a US citizen being detained in China,” the State Department told CBS News on Thursday. “Whenever a US citizen is detained, we work to provide appropriate diplomatic assistance.”

“China is a country under the rule of law,” the Chinese Ambassador to Washington told the newspaper. “All foreigners living and traveling in China must respect Chinese laws, and those who break the law and commit crimes will be held accountable.”

ISP-M is based in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, which has been home to political exiles from Myanmar since a coup ousted the democratically elected government. Aung San Suu Kyi.

Analysts, including those in ISP-M, say that China has supported Myanmar's ruling military, as well as rebels fighting the country's civil war, for economic and security reasons.

This arrest happened a few weeks after President Trump attended a meeting in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Mr. Trump called it “wonderful visit” and said “a lot of good has come out of it.”