Ahead of further high-level engagement between the United States and China, several Chinese political prisoner cases remain unresolved after US President Donald Trump says he raised them with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Reporting from the Philippines and Germany says Trump told reporters that he discussed two individuals during the summit: Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri and Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Mingri, identified as a founder of the Zion Protestant Church, is said to have been arrested in 2025. Lai is described as having been sentenced in February to 20 years for foreign collusion and sedition in relation to his ownership of the now-defunct pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper. According to Trump’s remarks, Xi said he would “strongly consider” the pastor’s case. Deutsche Welle adds that the two leaders also discussed Lai as part of broader discussions about political prisoners in China. As Xi’s planned visit to Washington approaches, human rights advocates are urging the US to increase pressure on China over such detentions and sentences. The sources characterize the situation as still in limbo, with no confirmed outcome reported following the summit discussions.
Trump-Xi summit puts Chinese political prisoner cases under renewed review
Ahead of further high-level engagement between the United States and China, several Chinese political prisoner cases remain unresolved after US President Donald Trump says he raised them with Chinese...
- US President Donald Trump says he raised the cases of Ezra Jin Mingri and Jimmy Lai with Xi Jinping during a summit.
- Ezra Jin Mingri is described as a Christian pastor and founder of the Zion Protestant Church; he was arrested in 2025.
- Jimmy Lai is described as a Hong Kong media figure who was sentenced in February to 20 years for foreign collusion and sedition.
- Trump says Xi told him he would “strongly consider” the pastor’s case.
- Advocates urge the US to apply more pressure on China ahead of Xi’s planned visit to Washington.
During his summit with China’s Xi Jinping this month , US President Donald Trump said that he 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 […]...Keep on reading: Chinese human rights cases in limbo after Trump-Xi summit
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