Donald Trump has said China’s president is giving “serious consideration” to the case of Pastor Ezra Jin, founder of Beijing’s Zion Church (Beijing).
Speaking after a two-day visit to China, Trump said he had raised the cases of Pastor Jin and Jimmy Lin. He said the latter was a “tough” case for Xi Jinping, but gave no further details.
Pastor Jin was jailed in October 2025 as part of a wider crackdown on underground churches, along with more than 20 members of his congregation. He had previously been placed under house arrest in 2018.
Christians in China face close monitoring and restrictions, with the ruling Communist Party viewing independent religious activity as a potential threat. Registered churches must operate under either the Three-Self Patriotic Movement or the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, and are subject to strict oversight on teaching and membership.
Speaking to Premier Christian News, Pastor Jin’s daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, said Trump’s comments had given her family hope.
"The promise that the President was going to raise my father, along with others, has made just a world of difference for me and my family," she said.
Drexel added that in the last few months, the family had faced difficulties accessing legal representation.
"His lawyer has been targeted, and his main lawyer has been disbarred... we were able to secure a new lawyer," she explained.
On her father’s condition, she said: "We heard that his spirit is calm... he's doing fine."
The Zion Church, founded in 2007, grew to more than 1,000 worshippers. Drexel said it continues to meet, mostly online.
"The church is still operating, and the church still is meeting together... mostly through Zoom and other online platforms," she said.
When asked how Christian can be praying for her and her family, she said: "We're first of all, just so grateful that we have a leader from a country that is willing to speak out for my father personally. We hope and pray that there will be a softening of hearts by both leaders, and we also hope and pray that we'll see a miracle in what happens after the trip.
"But honestly, I know that the road ahead is still long, so I think there will be a need for, like continual prayer and intercession, even for the courage and the heart to keep going."