Ezra Jin, 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 widespread crackdown on Christians that occurred in October. His family released a statement expressing gratitude, attributing his release to divine intervention and crediting the Trump administration’s efforts.
Jin’s case represents an uncommon instance of China releasing one of its own citizens apparently in response to diplomatic pressure from the United States. The situation parallels an earlier case involving David Lin, an American pastor of Chinese descent, who was released in 2024 following State Department advocacy after spending two decades in prison. During a visit to Beijing in May, President Trump raised Jin’s case directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping and stated that Xi was “seriously considering” the release of imprisoned pastors, though Trump indicated that progress on other detainees, including British citizen Jimmy Lai, remained more difficult.
Jin’s family members in the United States mounted an extended campaign for his release. His wife and children repeatedly appealed to American government officials and directly to Trump. In November, Jin’s daughter Grace Jin Drexel testified before Congress regarding her father’s imprisonment, and Trump subsequently pledged to advocate for Jin’s case during discussions with Xi.
Jin founded Zion Church in 2007 and has become a recognizable figure within China’s underground church movement. The church’s Beijing location was forced to close in 2018, but the organization subsequently transitioned to online worship services that expanded its reach to thousands of members. Christianity is permitted in China but only within government-controlled churches. Estimates of China’s Christian population vary significantly, with the government reporting 44 million adherents while other counts including unregistered believers suggest approximately 130 million.
Many Chinese Christians opt to worship in unregistered groups known as “house churches” rather than in state-approved venues. China has intensified enforcement actions against such organizations in recent years. Several members of Zion Church remain in detention, with nine members including Jin having their cases transferred to prosecutors on charges of illegal business operations and fraud, while nine others were released on bail pending trial.
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