(Midland, Texas — September 28, 2026) — ChinaAid has received deeply concerning information from sources inside China indicating that imprisoned Early Rain Covenant Church Pastor Wang Yi, held in southwestern China, may be suffering from advanced liver cancer.
Because of severe restrictions surrounding Wang’s imprisonment and limited family access, ChinaAid has not been able to independently verify the reported diagnosis or his current medical condition. The organization said the seriousness of the reports warrants immediate transparency from Chinese authorities.
Wang, founder and senior pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, has been imprisoned since December 2018. He was sentenced in December 2019 to nine years in prison on charges of “inciting subversion of state power” and “illegal business operations.” He is currently held at Jintang Prison.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom currently lists Wang as a religious prisoner of conscience and has recorded reports of medical neglect in his case.
ChinaAid previously reported that Wang’s wife, Jiang Rong, was permitted to visit him in October 2021, their first meeting in more than three years. Meaningful family access since then has remained severely restricted, according to multiple sources with knowledge of Pastor Wang’s case.
ChinaAid Founder and President Rev. Dr. Bob Fu called for immediate access to Wang and more information about his condition.
“We are gravely concerned by the credible reports we have received that Pastor Wang Yi may be suffering from advanced liver cancer,” Fu said. “If these reports are accurate, every day without proper medical treatment and family access could have life-or-death consequences.”
Fu called on the Chinese government, the Sichuan Provincial Prison Administration and Jintang Prison to allow Wang’s parents, wife and son to visit him in person and receive complete information about his medical condition and treatment.
“Whatever the Chinese government’s position regarding Pastor Wang Yi’s imprisonment, there can be no justification for denying a seriously ill prisoner access to his family and adequate medical care,” Fu said. “ChinaAid calls for immediate family visitation, independent medical evaluation, and all necessary treatment without delay.”
Wang is approaching the final portion of his nine-year sentence, which is expected to conclude in 2027.
ChinaAid is urging foreign governments, diplomatic missions in China, religious freedom organizations and churches worldwide to seek clarification of Wang’s health and call for unrestricted family access and adequate medical care.
The organization said it will continue working to verify the newly received information and provide further updates as reliable details become available.
Fu concluded with an appeal for Chinese authorities to act on humanitarian grounds.
“The world is watching. Pastor Wang Yi must not be allowed to die behind prison walls in secrecy,” Fu said. “His family deserves to see him, to know his true medical condition, and to be involved in decisions concerning his treatment.”
Gao Zhensai is a special correspondent for ChinaAid News. Founded in 2002, ChinaAid is an international Christian human rights organization committed to promoting religious freedom and the rule of law in China through advocacy, legal support, and international awareness campaigns.