It was reported overnight that China has just released a Christian paster they had in jail in what the WSJ describes as a surprise gesture of goodwill toward President Trump.
Here’s more from WSJ:
China released from jail a prominent Christian pastor following pressure from the U.S., a surprise gesture of goodwill after President Trump’s visit to Beijing in May.
Pastor Ezra Jin, who led one of China’s most influential underground churches before his arrest in October, landed in Los Angeles on Friday, a day ahead of the celebration of America’s 250th birthday, according to his family. They said they were overwhelmed with joy that Jin, 57 years old, was free after nearly nine months of captivity.
“We hope this is a signal of a positive turn for people of faith in China and relations between our two nations,” a statement from the family said.
The State Department and China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to requests for comment. Previously, the Foreign Ministry had criticized the U.S. for what it described as Washington’s attempt to use religious issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs.
The move comes as the U.S. and China seek to put their relations on more stable footing after years of tensions over trade, China’s military buildup and other issues. After meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump said “the relationship is a very strong one.” Xi is expected to visit the U.S. in September.
For years, Jin led Zion Church from the heart of Beijing. He persisted with his ministry even as the government cracked down on Christians who worshiped outside of China’s tightly controlled system of official churches.
The pastor’s arrest had drawn condemnation from the U.S. government and lawmakers of both political parties. Trump promised to personally raise Jin’s case with Xi at their May summit and said after the meeting that Xi was seriously considering releasing the pastor.
In Los Angeles, Jin was reunited with family members including his wife, Anna Liu, who had moved to the U.S. years earlier as safety concerns mounted in China. His daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, a U.S. citizen, had campaigned for her father’s freedom.
The family’s statement didn’t say why China released Jin or whether Beijing received anything in return. The statement thanked Trump and requested “prayers and patience with us as we navigate this critical time.”
The fact that Secretary Rubio isn’t saying anything about this means he and his team were probably working tirelessly behind the scenes to make this happen, and don’t want to upset the new footing our respective countries appear to be on.