ChinaAid Factual Statement
Regarding the January 6, 2026, Detentions of Members of Early Rain Covenant Church, Chengdu
Date of statement: January 7, 2026
Based on information released at 21:25 (Beijing Time)
ChinaAid has received verified and continuously updated information indicating that a coordinated, large-scale operation targeting Early Rain Covenant Church (秋雨圣约教会) and its members took place on January 6, 2026, in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, with actions extending to Deyang City.
I. Individuals Detained or Currently Subject to Restrictions on Personal Freedom
(Listed in order based on confirmed information)
1. Li Yingqiang, Church Elder
• Detained on the morning of January 6 at his residence in Deyang.
• His home was searched by authorities.
2. Zhang Xinyue, wife of Elder Li Yingqiang, and their children
• Mrs. Zhang, who had previously been confined to her home under surveillance, was taken away by authorities.
• The couple’s two children were held overnight at a police station and later transferred to their maternal grandmother’s home.
• Mrs. Zhang is reported to suffer from depression.
3. Dai Zhichao, Preacher
• Detained around 11:00 a.m. on January 6 at the church office in Chengdu.
• Subsequently escorted to his residence for a search.
• Initially held at Jinniu District Case Handling Center, later transferred by Deyang police.
4. Ye Fenghua, Church Member
• Detained on January 6; his residence was searched.
• His wife and child remain at home under surveillance, with restricted external communication.
II. Individuals Previously Detained and Subsequently Released
5. Yan Hong, Preacher
• Taken into custody around 5:00 p.m. on January 6; later released and returned home.
6. Zeng Qingtao, Deputy Deacon
• Previously confined to his residential compound under watch.
• Detained around 5:00 p.m. on January 6; later released.
7. Wu Wuqing, Preacher
• Detained around 5:00 p.m. on January 6; released around 11:30 p.m. the same day.
8. Shu Qiong, Church Member
• Detained around 10:00 p.m. on January 6 on the allegation of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.”
• Released around 6:00 a.m. on January 7.
9. An elderly female church member
• Taken in for police questioning and released shortly thereafter.
III. Individuals Currently Unaccounted For
10. Jia Xuewei, Deputy Deacon
• Currently remains out of contact.
11. One male church member (name withheld)
• Currently unreachable. It is unclear whether he has been detained or is temporarily unable to communicate.
IV. Overall Assessment
Based on available information, this incident constitutes a coordinated crackdown targeting multiple elders, preachers, deacons, and family members of Early Rain Covenant Church, involving:
• Cross-jurisdictional police actions (Chengdu and Deyang)
• Home searches
• Detention and restriction of personal liberty
• Residential surveillance
• Temporary enforced disappearance or loss of contact
While several individuals have since been released, others remain detained, under surveillance, or unaccounted for. The situation remains fluid and continues to develop.
V. ChinaAid Note
Dr. Bob Fu, Founder and President of ChinaAid, issued the following statement:
“The January 6 arrests of eight elders, deacons, and church leaders from Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu mark yet another grave escalation in the Chinese Communist Party’s campaign to eradicate independent Christian faith. These are not criminals or extremists—they are peaceful pastors and lay leaders whose only ‘crime’ is shepherding their congregations outside the control of the Party-state.
The impact on China’s Christian community is profound. When a faithful church like Early Rain is repeatedly targeted, the CCP is sending a chilling message to all believers: obedience to God will be punished, and conscience must bow to ideology. Yet history shows that persecution does not extinguish faith—it refines it.
The international community, and especially the United States, must respond with moral clarity. I urge Christians worldwide to pray for the imprisoned leaders and their families, and for the courage of China’s underground churches. I also call on President Trump to reconsider any official visit to Beijing this April unless the Chinese government demonstrates concrete change—beginning with the immediate release of prisoners of conscience, including these church leaders. Engagement without accountability only emboldens repression.”
ChinaAid is closely monitoring this case and continues to document developments as part of its ongoing work on religious freedom, arbitrary detention, and the treatment of prisoners of conscience in China. Further verification and updates will be provided as information becomes available.
