Pastor Released After Trump’s Advocacy

This week, President Donald Trump’s discussions with Chinese leader Xi Jinping led to the release of a pastor who had been jailed. This was especially significant as it came two months after Trump personally asked for his freedom.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingli, known for founding Beijing’s Zion Church, was among 18 church leaders arrested in what has been termed “China’s largest crackdown on a single religious group in decades,” according to NBC News.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union on China shared the news of Jin’s arrival in Los Angeles on Independence Day, where he was joyfully reunited with his family.

“We are very pleased that Reverend Ezra Jin has been released,” noted a publication, featuring nostalgic photos of the pastor and his daughter, Grace Zinn Drexel, who is now involved in national security. She had also advocated for his release.

Jin’s situation became more prominent after Trump mentioned discussing both the pastor’s imprisonment and that of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai during a return flight from Beijing back in May.

While speaking to reporters, Trump expressed he would “strongly consider the pastor’s case,” but acknowledged this would complicate efforts for Lai’s release.

Lai, aged 78, is the founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence for charges including collusion with foreign forces and publishing material deemed inflammatory.

Jin’s detention faced backlash from Western governments and human rights advocates, who accused China of misusing national security laws to target dissenters.

The pastor’s family commended the Trump administration for its “outstanding leadership,” believing that Jin’s release could not have happened without Xi’s direct involvement.

They expressed hope this might signify a positive shift for believers in China and the broader bilateral relations.

“My father, like many other faithful Christians, founded Zion to worship freely, honoring God as the head of our church,” Zinn’s daughter testified before a parliamentary committee last November.

After facing persecution, Jin immigrated to the U.S. in 2018. Despite this, he chose to return to China, enduring significant personal risks. His daughter noted that she hadn’t seen him in six years until now.

Human Rights Watch’s Maya Wang emphasized that struggles for freedom in China persist, stating that more remains to be done. She pointed out that at least eight members of Zion Church continue to be detained in China, urging for their release.