9/19/2024 U.S./China (International Christian Concern) — The U.S. Department of State announced this week that the Chinese government has released David Lin, a Christian missionary. 

According to NPR, Lin, a 68-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, moved back to China in 2006. While there, he applied for permission to open a church. Three years later, he was arrested and sentenced to life in prison for contract fraud, a charge that his family and the State Department believe was unjust. 

“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated. “He has returned to the United States and reunited with his family for the first time in nearly 20 years.” He added that the secretary has consistently raised Lin’s case during meetings with Chinese officials, emphasizing the ongoing push for the release of other wrongfully detained Americans. 

“No words can express the joy we have — we have a lot of time to make up for,” Lin’s daughter told Politico. 

While China claims to offer religious freedom, Christians and other religious minorities continue to face persecution there. For decades, China’s ruling party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has tried to control and restrain Christianity within its borders and beyond.  A recent report highlighted how China continues to aid North Korea in its relentless persecution of Christians. 

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