China Releases Mintz Group Employees After Long Detention

Five employees of the Mintz Group, an American corporate investigations firm, have been released after two years of detention in China. Their release coincides with China's efforts to enhance overseas investment as the economy struggles to recover post-COVID.

Chinese officials announced the release of the five Mintz Group employees, all Chinese nationals, who were detained during a crackdown on foreign business consultancies perceived as a threat to national security. The firm expressed gratitude to the authorities for allowing their staff to return home. This development is timed with crucial meetings between foreign executives and Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, aimed at revitalizing foreign investment in China, which has faced significant declines over recent years.

The Mintz Group's employees had been detained following a raid on their Beijing office in March 2023, sparking widespread concern over China's increasing scrutiny of foreign business operations. Shortly thereafter, Chinese authorities imposed fines on the company for conducting unauthorized statistical investigations, encapsulating the tense environment for international firms operating in China.

This crackdown on foreign consultancies is viewed as reflective of the broader geopolitical tensions, notably following the Biden administration's export controls on critical technologies to China. The release of the Mintz Group employees may signal a potential thaw in relations as foreign business leaders discuss investment opportunities in a country striving to uplift its economy.