Chinese Pastor Ding Shuqi Speaks on Religious Persecution in China

Pastor Ding Shuqi of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, recently spoke at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., to detail the ongoing challenges faced by unregistered house churches under the Chinese Communist Party. During the event, which was sponsored by several religious freedom advocacy groups, Ding described the systematic pressure and surveillance exerted by state authorities against his congregation.

Ding was among more than 100 church members detained during a 2018 crackdown. He was charged with illegal business operations and held for five months, followed by further detention in 2023. The Early Rain Covenant Church remains banned by the government, and its founding pastor, Wang Yi, is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence for charges including inciting subversion of state power. Ding, who arrived in the United States last year, used the platform to urge international awareness regarding the restrictions placed on religious practice in China.