The US has called for the release of 30 leaders of one of China's largest underground church networks who were reportedly detained over the weekend in overnight raids in various cities. The list includes several pastors and Zion Church founder Jin Mingri who was arrested in the early hours of Saturday after 10 officers searched his home, US-based non-profit ChinaAid said. The Chinese Communist Party promotes atheism and tightly controls religion - still, some Christian groups are calling this the most extensive crackdown against the faith in decades.
Christians have long been pressured to join only state-sanctioned churches that are led by government-approved pastors and toe the party line. It is unclear if the detainees have been formally charged. Such systematic persecution is not only an affront to the Church of God but also a public challenge to the international community, Zion Church said in a statement. Urging China to release the church leaders, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that this crackdown further demonstrates how the CCP exercises hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference in their faith and choose to worship at unregistered house churches.
Former US Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have also condemned the arrests. When asked about the arrests at a press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated he was not aware of the case. He added: The Chinese government governs religious affairs in accordance with the law, and protects the religious freedom of citizens and normal religious activities. We firmly oppose the US interfering in China's internal affairs with so-called religious issues.
This incident could exacerbate tensions in US-China relations, as trade tensions increase between the world’s two largest economies. There is doubt over whether a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will proceed. Under Xi, Beijing has intensified its crackdown on religious freedom, particularly against Christians and Muslims. On a national conference on religion in 2016, Xi called for the party to guide religious individuals to love their country and uphold the interests of the Chinese nation.
Despite this, there has been a growing movement of unregistered house churches in China, including Zion Church, which was founded in 2007 by Mr. Jin, and has grown to 10,000 members across 40 cities. After the church was officially banned in 2018, its congregations have faced increased scrutiny and closure. Prison sentences for church leaders, such as Jin, have become a common issue. ChinaAid's founder, Bob Fu, described the recent crackdown as unprecedented and an echo of past persecutions against Christians in China. Jin’s wife expressed her distress regarding her husband’s situation and the church’s future amidst these recent developments.
Christians have long been pressured to join only state-sanctioned churches that are led by government-approved pastors and toe the party line. It is unclear if the detainees have been formally charged. Such systematic persecution is not only an affront to the Church of God but also a public challenge to the international community, Zion Church said in a statement. Urging China to release the church leaders, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that this crackdown further demonstrates how the CCP exercises hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference in their faith and choose to worship at unregistered house churches.
Former US Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have also condemned the arrests. When asked about the arrests at a press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated he was not aware of the case. He added: The Chinese government governs religious affairs in accordance with the law, and protects the religious freedom of citizens and normal religious activities. We firmly oppose the US interfering in China's internal affairs with so-called religious issues.
This incident could exacerbate tensions in US-China relations, as trade tensions increase between the world’s two largest economies. There is doubt over whether a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will proceed. Under Xi, Beijing has intensified its crackdown on religious freedom, particularly against Christians and Muslims. On a national conference on religion in 2016, Xi called for the party to guide religious individuals to love their country and uphold the interests of the Chinese nation.
Despite this, there has been a growing movement of unregistered house churches in China, including Zion Church, which was founded in 2007 by Mr. Jin, and has grown to 10,000 members across 40 cities. After the church was officially banned in 2018, its congregations have faced increased scrutiny and closure. Prison sentences for church leaders, such as Jin, have become a common issue. ChinaAid's founder, Bob Fu, described the recent crackdown as unprecedented and an echo of past persecutions against Christians in China. Jin’s wife expressed her distress regarding her husband’s situation and the church’s future amidst these recent developments.
