SUNTV Global Channel | News Report | May 9, 2026
A bipartisan group of United States lawmakers has called on President Donald Trump to raise the case of detained Chinese pastor Ezra Jin Mingri during his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled to take place in Beijing on May 14–15.
In a letter dated March 24, 2026, and made public on Saturday by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore, the lawmakers urged Trump to use the high-level diplomatic talks to seek the release of Jin, a prominent church leader allegedly detained alongside other members of underground Christian movements in China.
The legislators described Jin’s arrest on October 10, 2025, as “arbitrary,” and expressed concern over what they called broader patterns of religious repression affecting Christians and other minority groups in China.
“As you prepare to meet with President Xi Jinping next month, we urge you to seek resolution of the case of Ezra Jin Mingri… and advocate for his release and safe departure from China,” the letter stated.
Jin, associated with the Zion Church network, was reportedly detained alongside other religious leaders linked to underground churches including Early Rain Covenant Church and other house church movements.
The lawmakers further urged the Trump administration to raise concerns about what they described as ongoing violations of religious freedom affecting Christians, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and other minority groups. They cited reports from bodies such as the and the U.S. Department of State, which have documented cases of surveillance, forced closures of places of worship, and detention of religious figures.
The letter also encouraged the use of existing U.S. policy tools, including targeted sanctions and visa restrictions, under frameworks such as the International Religious Freedom Act, to respond to individuals responsible for human rights violations.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator publicly condemned the detention of Pastor Jin, describing it as part of a wider crackdown on religious communities in China. Speaking on the Senate floor, Cruz said the Chinese Communist Party was carrying out “the largest coordinated nationwide crackdown on Christians in more than four decades.”
The upcoming Trump–Xi meeting is expected to cover trade, security, and diplomatic relations, but lawmakers are urging that human rights—particularly religious freedom—be placed prominently on the agenda.
