(Wenzhou, Zhejiang – August 7, 2026) Pastor David Tang and six other Christians have disappeared after being detained by Shanghai police during a cross-provincial operation on Aug. 5, with authorities refusing to disclose the reason for their detention or their whereabouts.
According to information posted by the social media account “Day of Prayer and Fasting for Persecuted Churches in China,” those detained include Tang, founder of Wenzhou’s Purpose Driven Church (also known as Biaogan Church), a church financial administrator, and five ministry workers from Shanghai. All seven remain out of contact.
Purpose Driven Church has been known for attracting young professionals and intellectuals in Wenzhou. After refusing to join the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement or register with the government, the church was forcibly closed but has continued meeting in a semi-underground manner.
“The secret detention of Pastor Tang and fellow believers demonstrates that the Chinese Communist Party is escalating its campaign against independent Christianity through intimidation, enforced disappearances, and the misuse of criminal law,” said Bob Fu, president of Texas-based nonprofit ChinaAid.
Fu said the detention reflects a broader pattern in which Chinese authorities increasingly avoid explicit religious charges and instead use criminal or economic accusations to target church leaders.
“Chinese authorities have increasingly sought to avoid political and religious charges,” Fu said. “Instead, they have relied on accusations such as fraud, illegal business operations and, more recently, the charge of ‘illegal use of information networks’ to suppress church leaders.”
Other clergy in the region have faced similar pressure. Pastor Huang Yizi of Wenzhou’s Pingyang County has been arrested, while Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin of the Wenzhou Catholic Diocese has long faced restrictions on his freedom. Father Ma Xianshi, an officially recognized priest, was imprisoned on charges of “illegal business operations” before his release in July.
Fu added: “Beijing is increasingly replacing overt religious charges with fabricated economic crimes in an attempt to conceal the reality of systematic religious persecution. Their strategy aims to undermine Christians’ credibility while avoiding direct international criticism over religious freedom violations.”
Escalating crackdown on “China’s Jerusalem”
Wenzhou, a commercial hub on China’s southeastern coast, was introduced to Christianity by Protestant missionaries in the late 19th century and is often called the “Jerusalem of China.” Christians are estimated to make up roughly one-tenth of the city’s population.
The city has long been a center of Christian activity, but house churches operating outside China’s official religious system have faced increasing pressure. Authorities in Wenzhou have intensified restrictions on independent religious groups in recent years.
The crackdown accelerated when Zhejiang authorities launched a campaign to remove crosses from more than 1,000 churches, including the landmark Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou. The campaign drew international attention and is widely viewed as a turning point in the government’s approach to religious regulation.
Since then, authorities have expanded restrictions on religious activity in Wenzhou, including barring civil servants, children and teenagers from entering churches and banning Sunday schools and youth camps. University students have also been prohibited from participating in religious gatherings on or off campus.
Authorities have installed surveillance equipment in churches, required national flags to be displayed, and sent officials to monitor sermons and attendance. Civil servants identified as Christians may face disciplinary action, dismissal or the loss of promotion opportunities.
At Yayang Church in Taishun County, more than 20 church leaders and members were arrested after objecting to the placement of the national flag inside the church. The church was later demolished.
‘We must not remain silent’
As of publication, public security authorities in Shanghai and Wenzhou had issued no official statement regarding the detention of Tang and the six other Christians, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
According to sources verified by ChinaAid, authorities have heavily censored information about the detentions and prohibited online reposting of reports related to Christian persecution, limiting outside knowledge of the crackdown’s scope.
“The international community must not remain silent while peaceful Christians are criminalized simply for practicing their faith,” Fu said.
ChinaAid urged Chinese authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of the seven detainees, guarantee their access to legal counsel and family members, and release them unconditionally.
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.