Pastor Mingri Ezra Jin, a leader of China’s underground Zion Church, was released from detention by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following direct intervention by President Donald J. Trump. The pastor reunited with his family in the United States on July 4.
Jin was detained in southern China in October 2025 and freed in July 2026 after sustained diplomatic efforts from U.S. officials, including personal appeals by President Trump to Chinese leaders during a May visit to China.
In a statement, Jin’s family described the event as “a miracle,” expressing profound gratitude: “We truly witnessed a miracle and we are feeling so overwhelmed with joy. We thank God for this tremendous miracle. We also thank President Trump and his administration for their tremendous leadership.”
Jin converted to Christianity following the Tiananmen Square Massacre, founded Zion Church in 2007 after theological training in the United States. The church grew to become one of China’s largest underground networks before facing repeated crackdowns by CCP authorities, including asset freezes and forced closures.
In 2025, Jin was detained under accusations of disseminating illegal information online—a tactic consistent with the CCP’s historical pattern of targeting Christian groups as perceived threats to state control.
