Washington D.C. – USCIRF, Sept, 14, 2026
USCIRF Calls for President Donald J. Trump to Raise FoRB Prisoners with President Xi
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) encourages President Donald J. Trump to continue his efforts for the release of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) prisoners—as well as for the cessation of religious persecution by the Chinese government—during the planned summit with President Xi Jinping on September 24, 2026.
“President Trump boldly demonstrated to President Xi during their meeting in Beijing earlier this year that the United States stands for religious freedom by calling for the release of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) prisoners,” said Chair Asif Mahmood. “Speaking up again sends a clear and consistent signal that religious freedom for all is a priority for the United States and that it expects the CCP to respect its population rather than persecute millions for practicing their faith.”
Following a direct appeal by President Trump to his Chinese counterpart during the U.S.-China Summit in Beijing in May, Chinese authorities freed Pastor Ezra Jin of the Zion Church in July and permitted him to relocate to the United States and reunite with his family. However, eight Zion Church leaders, who CCP authorities arrested alongside Pastor Ezra Jin, remain detained. These pastors include Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Cong, Lin Shucheng, Liu Zhenbin, Gao Yingjia, Elder Wang Zhong, and Wu Qiuyu. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a crackdown on Christian house churches in 2025, during which police arrested Pastor Jin along with dozens of others.
