Sylvia Zin, wife of US scholar U Min Zin, has urged President Donald Trump to seek her husband’s release when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington. Min Zin was arrested in China on spying and national-security charges after attending an academic conference, and his family and US lawmakers say the case highlights concerns that Beijing detains Americans for diplomatic leverage.

Min Zin, who leads a Myanmar-focused think tank, has reportedly faced lengthy interrogations and has not spoken directly to his wife since his arrest on 3 June. The US has designated him and seismologist Chen Youlin as wrongfully detained, giving their cases greater diplomatic attention; families including Jimmy Lai’s son are also lobbying Trump, who previously raised Lai’s imprisonment with Xi.