SICHUAN PROVINCE, CHINA — Oct. 20, 2026 — Chinese authorities detained a Christian ministry worker in southwestern China under national security laws, amid continuing pressure on unregistered Protestant churches and religious believers in the region.
Wang Baihu, who serves in a Christian literature ministry, received a three-day administrative detention penalty in Mianyang, Sichuan Province. His wife, Luo Ning, received a written notification from the Mianyang State Security Bureau.
According to the detention notice, authorities accused Wang of “engaging in activities endangering national security.” His detention at the Mianyang Municipal Detention Center was scheduled to run from 9 p.m. Oct. 15 to 9 p.m. Oct. 18. His release has not been confirmed.
The notice cited several provisions of China’s Counterespionage Law, including Article 8(3) of its implementing regulations. That provision covers publishing or disseminating information deemed harmful to national security, including fabricated or distorted statements, as well as certain publications and audiovisual materials.
Other cited provisions include Articles 54 and 70 of the revised Counterespionage Law. These allow authorities to impose administrative detention for certain offenses that do not constitute crimes and extend the law’s application to other activities considered threats to national security.
Chinese authorities have used fraud allegations involving church offerings and broadly defined national security accusations to pursue cases against independent Christian leaders. Religious freedom advocates have raised concerns that such provisions can be used to suppress house churches and Christian ministry activities.
The detention also comes amid ongoing government pressure on independent Christian groups in Sichuan. In September, police detained 11 Christians, most of them elderly, during a reading gathering associated with Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, the provincial capital.
In Wang’s case, Luo reported that authorities had recently searched their home. She described feeling frightened by the sudden police actions and said uncertainty about her husband’s condition in custody, along with fears for her own safety, had caused severe psychological distress and insomnia.
Luo has issued an appeal for God’s grace, mercy and protection. She has also asked Christians in other regions to support the family through prayer, particularly for Wang’s safety and his return home.
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.