Advocates Urge President Trump to Address Religious Persecution with President Xi

As U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping prepare to meet in Washington on September 24, religious freedom advocates and a bipartisan group of 10 U.S. senators are calling for the administration to prioritize the issue of religious persecution in China. While the summit is expected to focus on trade, Taiwan, and geopolitical tensions, organizations including the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission are urging the President to advocate for the release of detained religious leaders.

Specific cases highlighted include the eight remaining leaders of Beijing’s Zion Church—Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Cong, Lin Shucheng, Liu Zhenbin, Gao Yingjia, Wang Zhong, and Wu Qiuyu—who remain in custody following a 2025 crackdown. Additionally, Christian Solidarity Worldwide is advocating for the return of the passport of Pastor John Cao, a U.S. permanent resident currently battling stage four cancer in China. Advocates argue that the Chinese government is using exit bans and imprisonment to suppress religious expression and silence dissent, and they are urging the U.S. to maintain pressure on these human rights concerns.