Ezra Jin, the founder of Zion Church, one of China’s most visible underground Christian congregations, was released from prison and arrived in the United States on Friday evening. He was among dozens of church members detained during a significant crackdown on Christians that occurred in October. Jin’s family expressed gratitude for his release, characterizing it as a miracle and thanking both God and the Trump administration for their involvement in securing his freedom.
Jin’s case represents a notable instance of China releasing one of its own citizens in apparent response to lobbying from the United States government. The situation draws comparison to the 2024 release of David Lin, an American pastor of Chinese descent, who had been imprisoned for 20 years before efforts by the State Department secured his freedom. Jin’s case was personally raised by President Trump during a visit to Beijing in May, during which Trump indicated that Chinese President Xi Jinping was considering the release of imprisoned pastors, though progress on other detainees remained more difficult.
Jin’s family, including his wife and children who are based in the United States, had made repeated appeals to American officials and directly to Trump. His daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, testified before Congress in November, after which Trump pledged to bring up Jin’s case with Xi. Jin founded Zion Church in 2007 and is recognized as a prominent figure in China’s underground church movement. The church’s physical location in Beijing was ordered to close in 2018, after which the congregation shifted to online services that expanded their membership to thousands of participants.
China permits Christianity within government-controlled religious institutions, though independent worship groups operate outside official oversight. Government figures from 2018 indicated 44 million registered Christians, though independent estimates including unregistered believers suggested numbers around 130 million. Many Chinese Christians opt for unregistered congregations, often called “house churches,” rather than government-supervised worship settings. However, several Zion Church members remain in detention. Last month, nine members including Jin had their cases transferred to prosecutors on charges including illegal business operations and fraud, while nine others were released on bail pending trial.
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