Ezra Jin, the founder of Zion Church, one of China’s most prominent underground Christian congregations, was released from prison and arrived in the United States on Friday evening. Jin had been among dozens of church members detained during a broad crackdown on Christians that occurred in October. His family released a statement expressing gratitude for his release and acknowledging the role of the Trump administration in securing his freedom.
Jin’s case represents an uncommon instance of China releasing one of its citizens, apparently in response to advocacy by the United States government. The situation parallels an earlier case involving David Lin, an American pastor of Chinese descent, who was released from prison after serving 20 years following efforts by the State Department in 2024. During a May visit to Beijing, President Trump raised Jin’s case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping and reported that Xi was “seriously considering” the release of imprisoned pastors, though Trump indicated that progress on other detained individuals, including British citizen Jimmy Lai, faced greater obstacles.
Jin’s family, including his wife and children who are based in the United States, had undertaken sustained efforts to secure his release. His daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, testified before Congress in November, and Trump subsequently pledged to advocate for Jin’s case with Xi. Jin established Zion Church in 2007 and has become one of the most prominent figures associated with China’s underground church movement. Following forced closure of the church’s physical Beijing location in 2018, the congregation transitioned to online services, enabling it to expand its reach to thousands of members.
Christianity is lawful in China, though worship is restricted to government-controlled churches according to regulations. Estimates of the Christian population in China vary significantly, with official government figures from 2018 citing 44 million adherents, while other assessments accounting for unregistered believers place the number at approximately 130 million. Many Chinese Christians opt to worship in unregistered groups known as “house churches” rather than government-sanctioned venues. A substantial portion of Zion Church members remain in detention, with nine members’ cases having been transferred to prosecutors on charges related to illegal business operations and fraud, while nine others were released on bail awaiting trial.
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