Trump Has Planned Talks on Detained Men
President Donald Trump will address the cases of Youlin Chen and Min Zin during a summit with President Xi Jinping.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Immigration
President Donald Trump plans to discuss the cases of U.S.-classified wrongfully detained individuals Youlin Chen and Min Zin with President Xi Jinping. Both men remain in Chinese custody on espionage and national security charges.
Why it matters
The families of the detainees are pressing for high-level intervention to secure their release, while a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a resolution to exert further diplomatic pressure. U.S. officials maintain that the detentions are unjust.
Youlin Chen, 54, was detained in November 2024, while Min Zin, 53, has been held since June 2026. The U.S. government maintains both men are being held without sufficient cause.
The players
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States.
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping is the President of the People's Republic of China.
Youlin Chen
Youlin Chen is a Boston-based seismologist who has been detained in China since 2024.
Min Zin
Min Zin is a detained individual held by Chinese authorities on national security suspicions.
Yufang Rong
Yufang Rong is the wife of Youlin Chen who has traveled to Washington to advocate for his release.
The details
Youlin Chen, a seismologist from Boston, was stopped at a Beijing airport and later charged with espionage, while Min Zin was detained in Kunming on suspicion of endangering national security. Chen, who moved to the U.S. in 1998, suffers from medical conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and his wife believes he was targeted for his nuclear detection expertise.
Timeline
Youlin Chen moved to the U.S. in 1998.
Youlin Chen was detained in Beijing in November 2024.
President Donald Trump spoke with Xi Jinping about Chen in May 2026.
Min Zin was detained in Kunming in June 2026.
President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for a summit in September 2026.
Political Context
The U.S. government's classification of these detentions as wrongful follows the standards set by the Levinson Act for addressing Americans held abroad. This approach contrasts with the Chinese government's internal security justifications, creating a persistent diplomatic impasse.
These detentions underscore the risks for international travelers and professionals operating in sensitive fields like seismology or national security. Families of such detainees often face limited recourse beyond high-level government intervention.
The takeaway
Diplomatic summits often serve as the final avenue for resolving sensitive international detention cases that have stalled in lower-level legal channels. Sustained advocacy from families and legislative bodies remains a key component in maintaining public focus on these individuals.
Further reading
For more on ongoing diplomatic relations, visit the Immigration section.
