In brief
Pastor Jin Mingri, founder of the underground Zion Church, was released from Chinese prison after a brief period of detention during a nationwide crackdown on unauthorised religious activity. His release followed pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged China’s leader Xi Jinping to free him during state‑visit talks in Beijing. Jin’s family hailed the event as a sign of a possible easing of restrictions for believers in China, though many other church members remain jailed. U.S. rights groups and Western lawmakers welcomed the decision as a positive step in religious freedom, while Chinese officials declined to comment. The case highlights ongoing tensions over civil liberties in China and the geopolitical influence of U.S. diplomacy.
Pastor Jin Mingri, leader of China’s underground Zion Church, has been freed from prison after a brief period of incarceration that authorities described as part of the country’s most crack down on religious activity in recent history.
Jin, who has been imprisoned since an overnight raid in October, was released less than two months after former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged China’s leader Xi Jinping to free him, a request that Xi reportedly took seriously during state‑visit discussions in Beijing.
Jin’s family expressed profound gratitude, noting that the release felt “like a miracle” and that it owes its success to the direct diplomatic pressure from both U.S. President and Chinese President. They also hoped the event could signal a positive shift for faith communities in China and for broader U.S.–China relations.
Various U.S.‑based rights organisations, including ChinaAid, confirmed Jin’s arrival in Los Angeles following his release and praised the “overjoyed” response from the Inter‑Parliamentary Alliance on China, which includes many Western politicians.
Despite Jin’s release, the crack‑down remains intense: In the same raids that captured Jin, 30 Christian leaders were detained, and a separate January raid saw nine more arrested. Many branches of the Zion Church across 40 Chinese cities continue to face investigations or closures as the government enforces strict control over unauthorised religious activity.
