(Taiwan, October 20, 2025) — The operation this time round appears to focus on three pastors from Zion Church, Ezra Jin Mingri, Wang Lin, and Yin Huibin, who have been accused by authorities of “illegally using the information network” and may also face charges of “illegal business operations” and “fraud.” Observers note that Beijing intentionally avoids using charges directly related to religious belief, instead resorting to economic accusations and using administrative tactics to justify repression of house churches, thereby cunningly evading supervision from the international community of China’s religious affairs situation.
In an interview with Taiwan’s SET News on the 19th, President of ChinaAid, Dr. Bob Fu, stated that before this round of arrest operations, Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri had some premonition, as another pastor had already been detained in May of this year. When Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri went to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in September to renew his visa, more than 70 state security officers (from the Ministry of Public Security’s Political Security Protection Bureau) intercepted him and escorted him back to Beihai, Guangxi.
He already sensed something was amiss after being escorted back to Guangxi. Dr. Fu said, “He felt something was not quite right at that time. Why would they send so many people just to escort him back to Guangxi?” Due to a long-term overseas travel ban, Ezra Jin Mingri had been unable to reunite with his family in the United States. Facing the sudden wave of repression, he and his supporters could only gladly accept the reality. However, Dr. Fu added, “The scale of this crackdown is still beyond expectations.”
The arrest operations, led by the Beihai Public Security Bureau in Guangxi, have spread across at least ten provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, Sichuan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, and (newly added) Liaoning.
Most of the operations took place late at night or early in the morning, with police cutting power and breaking into homes to conduct searches. Pastor Sun Cong’s residence was raided during the night and thoroughly searched. Dr. Fu stated, “Sun Cong’s mother collapsed from fright on the spot and was rushed for emergency treatment.” Police conducted arrests in the early hours of October 11; footage shows a man being escorted by officers as others repeatedly knocked on the door demanding entry to conduct a search.
Dr. Fu further revealed in his interview that a criminal detention notice received by Pastor Ezra Jin’s mother-in-law shows that the arrest operation had already been approved by the public security bureau on September 26, indicating the operation was premeditated. “It was planned,” Dr. Fu said. He added that Ezra Jin Mingri had fully considered the potential risks when he returned to China from the U.S. to preach. “If the risk hadn’t been real, he wouldn’t have sent his family to the U.S. first.”
Zion Church becoming a key target is closely related to its size and influence. Founded by Ezra Jin Mingri in Beijing in 2007, it has rapidly developed and grown into one of China’s most representative and internationally influential house churches. Dr. Fu noted that Zion Church has 100 branches in 40 cities, with around 5,000 people attending weekly gatherings. Over 10,000
Christians, together with members of its network, join together in daily morning online Bible readings. Its Christmas gathering, both online and offline, attracts more than 100,000 participants. “The CCP sees the church’s large-scale development and tight organization posing as a political threat it cannot fully control,” Bob Fu analyzed.
In 2018, Zion Church was shut down and forcibly moved its ministry online. This September, China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs issued the Code of Conduct for Online Behavior of Religious Clergy, strictly prohibiting online preaching and religious-related commercial activity without official authorization. Despite the pressure, the church’s activities have continued.
Dr. Fu expressed:
ChinaAid has launched active advocacy efforts in the United States, maintaining communication with the U.S. government to urge the State Department to call for the release of those detained. Congress is also preparing to hold a hearing. Meanwhile, church members in China remain in contact, and their activities have not ceased. “The church members are very united with all parties involved. Although there was a period of anxiety and distress that affected both the family and the church, the church immediately set up a coordination team to ensure that all activities went smoothly.”
Dr. Fu expressed confidence that the CCP’s repression will not destroy Zion Church but instead strengthen its resilience and growth potential. “They already have multiple layers of leadership succession, and the church even operates its own communication app that can circumvent China’s internet surveillance. Their organizational structure is complete and stable,” he said.
As for the future of the pastors’ legal cases, the church and its supporters can only wait for further developments and clarity in the judicial process.
Report compiled by ChinaAid’s Gao Zhensai based on Taiwan SET News’ coverage (link).
