Wife of American detained in China holds out hope for his return amid Trump-Xi meeting

Ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States in September 2024, Yufang Rong and Sylvia Zin, wives of wrongfully detained Americans Youlin Chen and Min Zin respectively, have intensified efforts for their husbands' release. Chen, a seismologist with expertise in North Korean nuclear tests, was detained by Chinese authorities outside Beijing’s airport in November 2024. His wife Rong has not spoken to him or seen him for over 670 days, causing significant emotional and familial strain.

Zin's husband Min Zin, arrested in June 2024, is a scholar focusing on Myanmar. The U.S. State Department designates these men as the only two American citizens wrongfully detained in China. Their families are hopeful that President Donald Trump will bring up their cases during his summit with Xi. Rong and Zin met with senior U.S. officials to advocate for their husbands' release, with the White House assuring them that Trump would address this issue directly with Xi.

Despite these efforts, it remains unclear if broader human rights issues, such as those concerning Tibet and the Uyghur Muslim minority, will be discussed during the summit, given Trump's general reluctance to raise such matters publicly.