Trump said he brought up two prisoners during his summit with Xi Jinping: Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri and Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai. Mingri, founder of the Zion Protestant Church, was arrested in 2025. Lai was sentenced in February to 20 years for foreign collusion and sedition related to his ownership of the pro-democracy Apple Daily. Trump reported that Xi would strongly consider the pastor, but described Lai’s case as tough, and Trump said he did not feel optimistic. Both families thanked Trump and the White House for mentioning the prisoners. No further updates have followed. Advocacy groups view Xi’s planned White House visit in September as an opportunity to pressure China to release political prisoners.
"During his summit with China's Xi Jinping this month , US President Donald Trump said he had brought up two prisoners Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri and Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai. Mingri is the founder of the Zion Protestant Church one of China's largest underground churches who was arrested in 2025. Lai, meanwhile, was sentenced in February to 20 years for foreign collusion and sedition over his ownership of the now-defunct, pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper."
"In remarks to reporters on May 15, Trump said Xi had said he would "strongly consider the pastor." But the US president pointed out that his Chinese counterpart had described Lai's case as "a tough one," with Trump admitting he "didn't feel optimistic" about it. Trump touts support but progress is slow"
"Afterward, both Jin's and Lai's families thanked Trump and the White House for the support at such a closely watched summit. "We're really grateful that the President mentioned my father at such a consequential meeting," Grace Jin Drexel, Pastor Jin's daughter, told DW. Lai's daughter, Claire Lai, also thanked the Trump administration "for their commitment to my father's release" as she received Lai's Freedom Award from Freedom House last week."
"However, since Trump's remarks, there have been no further updates from either Washington or Beijing. "We have not heard any other developments other than what's been made public," Drexel said. "I trust that the administration and all the staff in his [Trump] cabinet are following up." With Trump inviting Xi to the White House in September, advocacy groups see that upcoming visit as a chance to pressure the Chinese leader to release political prisoners."
Read at www.dw.com
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