Ezra Jin Mingri, a 57-year-old pastor who leads Zion Church, an unregistered Christian congregation in China, was released from a detention center in Beihai on July 3 after being held for 266 days. According to Jin, his sudden release followed President Trump bringing up his case during meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in May. Jin described the experience as “a miracle” and credited Trump’s diplomatic efforts, stating the approach had tangible results.
Jin founded Zion Church in 2007, which grew into one of China’s most influential independent congregations. The church does not accept government registration or Communist Party oversight, distinguishing it from officially sanctioned places of worship. In 2018, authorities in Beijing shut down the church’s physical sanctuary after members refused to install surveillance cameras. Jin had remained in China to continue developing the church through small group meetings and an online presence that expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was detained in October 2025 along with other church leaders during a government crackdown.
The release process was unusual in that Jin was not forced to make a confession or undergo a public trial. Instead, prosecutors read a document at a temporary courtroom set up in an airport VIP room, announcing they would not indict him on charges including illegal business activity and fraud related to operating an unregistered church. Jin was handed his passport and placed on a flight to the United States, where a U.S. diplomat awaited him. He was granted a one-year visa upon arrival in Los Angeles.
After a separation of several years, Jin reunited with his family, including three grandchildren, the youngest only a month old. His daughter Grace Jin Drexel noted he had lost considerable weight and visibly aged during his detention. Jin met this week with House Speaker Mike Johnson and relatives of three other detained Christians in China. He stated his intention to advocate for the release of eight other Zion Church members still detained and for broader legal recognition of independent churches in China.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to inquiries about Jin’s release by stating that the country manages religious affairs according to law and opposes what it characterizes as interference in China’s internal affairs regarding religious matters. Jin’s case represents an uncommon instance of a high-profile Chinese detainee being released following U.S. diplomatic intervention during a period when Beijing has generally become less responsive to foreign pressure on such matters.
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