In brief
Jin Mingri, founder of Beijing’s Zion Church, was freed from Chinese prison after less than two months of incarceration. The release followed direct pressure from former US President Donald Trump to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state visit. Protesters and Western lawmakers celebrate the event as a sign of potential easing of religious persecution in China, while Chinese officials remain silent.
Jin Mingri, a ten‑year‑old underground pastor, was released from Chinese prison after less than two months of incarceration. According to leading Christian groups, his imprisonment followed a nationwide raid on unregistered churches in October 2025 – the most severe crackdown in China’s modern history.
The Chinese government, which officially promotes atheism, has tightened control over religious activity for years. The Zion Church, which Jin founded in 2007, grew into a network of roughly 10,000 believers across 40 cities, but was banned in 2018 for refusing to install state surveillance cameras.
"We truly witnessed a miracle and are feeling overwhelmed with joy." – Jin’s family
The family thanked both the US president and the Trump administration for their "tremendous leadership" and noted that they believed the release was a result of direct intervention from President Xi Jinping.
U.S. rights group ChinaAid confirmed that Jin had arrived in Los Angeles following his release. Its founder, Bob Fu, expressed relief but cautioned that several "countless" religious practitioners, including eight members of the Zion Church, remained imprisoned in China.
The Inter‑Parliamentary Alliance on China, a coalition of Western lawmakers, declared the news “overjoyed,” signaling broader hope for religious freedoms in China.
Trump had urged Xi to release Jin during a state visit in Beijing in May. He said he would "strongly consider the pastor" afterwards, adding that he had also brought attention to Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
In total, 30 church leaders were detained in the October raids and an additional nine during a January crackdown. Many congregations across China have been investigated and shut down, highlighting the vulnerability of underground believers.
While the Chinese foreign ministry remains unnamed on the situation, international observers see this release as a possible turn toward more tolerance. Yet the long‑term fate of underground churches remains uncertain.
