Terminally Ill Pastor John Cao Seeks Return to U.S. From China

John Sanqiang Cao, a 67-year-old pastor and U.S. permanent resident, is seeking permission to return to the United States to reunite with his family as he battles late-stage prostate cancer. Cao, who spent seven years in a Chinese prison on charges of human trafficking related to his mission work, was released in 2024 but remains under an exit ban that prevents him from leaving China. His wife, Jamie Powell, recently visited him in a Changsha hospital, marking their first in-person meeting in nine years.

International religious freedom organizations, including ChinaAid, have launched a campaign urging U.S. President Donald Trump to advocate for Cao’s release during an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Supporters hope that diplomatic intervention will mirror the successful release of other detained religious figures. Cao, who moved to the U.S. in 1985 before returning to China for ministry, expressed a desire to spend his final days with his family. He has undergone six rounds of chemotherapy while remaining in Hunan Province.