(Bengbu, Anhui Province –March 28, 2024) Recently, Cao Jin, the father of Cao Binting from the Cornerstone Reformed Church in Bengbu, Anhui province, who was charged with “fraud” because of his Christian faith, publicly posted on Weibo. He stated that his son Cao Binting is upright, kind, law-abiding, and was an outstanding student at school. After starting work, he has been diligent and responsible, frequently visiting troubled families in the church with compassion, being charitable in daily life, and not seeking rewards. Cao Jin expressed his inability to accept that his son, who is so good, is wrongly accused of “fraud.” He urged the judicial authorities to give Cao Binting a fair trial.
Cao Binting is an employee of the Huaihe River Water Conservancy Commission of The Ministry of Water Resources. He was taken away for questioning by police from Chaoyang Police Station in Yuhui District, Bengbu City while at work on April 11, 2023. After being questioned for 12 hours, he was allowed to return home. On the same day, Pastor Wan Changchun of Cornerstone Reformed Church was arrested by Bengbu police while serving in Lijiang, Yunnan Province. Elder Xue Shaoqiang, Pastor Wan Changchun’s sister Wan Chunqin, and another Christian were also arrested on the same charge. On April 22, Cao Binting was again summoned by the police. When he hadn’t returned home by 10 p.m., his family went to the Chaoyang Police Station to inquire and learned that he had been criminally detained by Yuhui District Sub-bureau of Bengbu Public Security Bureau on suspicion of “illegal business operations.” Other elders, deacons, and co-workers of the church were subsequently interrogated. Co-workers in charge of accounting were comprehensively searched, and accounts were frozen. On May 18, 2023, the Yuhui District People’s Procuratorate approved a change in charges, and five Christians were arrested on suspicion of “fraud” and prosecuted to the Yuhui District People’s Procuratorate. In response to these accusations, the church has repeatedly declared publicly: the four co-workers of the church did not “defraud” anyone’s money, and the brothers and sisters know they have not been deceived. All offerings are voluntary, and the church’s expenses are also transparent and public.
Upon learning that Cao Binting was accused of this charge, his father Cao Jin expressed that the sudden turn of events plunged their family into sadness and despair. As a father in his 60s, upon hearing this news, he was overwhelmed and admitted to the hospital due to heartache. He and his wife often weep bitterly, hoping fervently that their son can return home safely.
He believes that his son is innocent. He has always believed in the fairness of the law and is confident that after a thorough investigation, his son will surely be released to come home. They hired two lawyers, who, after reviewing the case files, told them: “There is absolutely no evidence to prove that Cao Binting has ever attempted or taken a single penny from anyone. How could he be accused of fraud?”
Although the wait has been agonizing every day, they believe that there may be some misunderstanding, and the judicial authorities will clear things up and vindicate Cao Binting. Therefore, their family have never spoken out online. Unexpectedly, after more than 300 days, Cao Jin learned that Cao Binting was going to be prosecuted to the court. He felt that he had to do something for his son. He could not accept the fact that his son was wrongly accused, and he did not want his son’s life to be ruined by an unfounded accusation.
Cao Jin is a retired worker from a state-owned company, who has worked diligently and abided by the law throughout his life. Despite their modest circumstances and simple living, they instilled in their son the values of taking the right path and being a law-abiding citizen. Cao Binting was an outstanding student from a young age, achieving numerous honors such as being a model student and earning various awards. Despite hailing from a small town, he excelled academically, earning admission to a prestigious 985 university for both his undergraduate and master’s degrees. After graduating from graduate school in 2016, he successfully passed the civil service examination and became a national civil servant at the Huaihe River Water Conservancy Commission of The Ministry of Water Resources in Bengbu. Cao Binting was exceptionally dedicated to his work, earning the “Outstanding” rating twice in the annual assessments at his workplace within a few years. He even received commendations from the Ministry of Water Resources.
As a child, Cao Binting was loved by his parents at home, and relatives and neighbors praised him for being particularly sensible. As a student, he excelled academically, was gentle and mild-mannered, and earned unanimous praise from teachers and classmates alike. As a civil servant, he never shied away from responsibilities, tirelessly serving and showing great sympathy for impoverished farmers. In order to help improve the drinking water safety for farmers, he traveled over 20,000 kilometers and visited more than 50 counties, earning him the title of “Advanced Individual in Poverty Alleviation and Drinking Water Safety Campaigns” from the Ministry of Water Resources. As a Christian, he also showed special concern for needy families in the church, frequently visiting and assisting them with great compassion. Following the centuries-old tradition of the church, he voluntarily donated a portion of his income to the church for the past few years, never taking a single penny from the church.
Cao Jin said that his son is a devoted Christian. According to the law, citizens have the right to religious belief. When he started to work as a civil servant, he truthfully stated in his records that he is a Christian.
Cao Jin questioned, “How could such a hardworking, diligent, and helpful person possibly commit a crime? It’s even more inconceivable that he would deceive others for money.” He continued:
“This kind of good person, how could he be arrested just because he believes in Christianity, which is completely harmless and only teaches people to do good? My wife has also been a Christian for over thirty years. We’ve never heard of anyone being arrested just for believing in Christ. It’s simply unheard of! Although I didn’t receive much formal education, with my simple common sense, I know that my son, who has never taken a penny from anyone, being charged with fraud is absolutely unjust and unfair.”
Now Cao Binting has been suffering in custody for more than 10 months. Cao’s father and mother hope that the judicial authorities will soon give Cao Binting justice and release him home.
