The wife of Min Zin, a U.S. scholar of Myanmar politics, made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump during a congressional hearing, asking him to secure her husband’s release when meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week, according to NBC News. Min Zin, a University of California-Berkeley scholar and executive director of the think tank ISP-Myanmar, was detained by China’s state security in June on suspicion of endangering national security, his wife said.

Detained U.S. Citizens and Diplomatic Efforts

Min Zin is one of two U.S. citizens designated by the State Department as wrongfully detained in China — the other is Youlin Chen, a Chinese-born American seismologist who has been detained for nearly two years. Their cases are considered a high priority for the U.S. government when engaging diplomatically with Beijing.

As Xi’s expected visit to Washington draws near, families of those detained in China are coming to Washington, hoping that attention at the highest level could bring their loved ones home. The son of imprisoned former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai also was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, making a push for his release on humanitarian grounds.

Hope and Past Diplomatic Success

Min Zin’s wife expressed confidence in Trump’s ability to secure the release of her husband and other wrongfully detained Americans, citing his historic record on such cases. She stated, “Knowing the president’s historic record on bringing wrongfully detained Americans home has reassured me that he will also be able to secure the swift release of Min Zin and other wrongfully detained American citizens.”

In July, Beijing suddenly released Ezra Jin Mingri, a Chinese pastor, after Trump raised his case with Xi during a state visit to China in May. This past success offers a measure of hope to those advocating for the release of other detained Americans.

Challenges and Uncertainties

Despite these efforts, the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a question about whether an agreement could be reached for the release of the detained men. The lack of clarity adds to the uncertainty faced by the families involved.

As diplomatic discussions continue, the focus remains on whether high-level negotiations will result in the release of Min Zin and others. The outcome could influence future diplomatic engagements between the U.S. and China, particularly as both governments seek to balance human rights concerns with broader strategic interests.