Grassley, Budd, Kaine Urge Trump Administration to Prioritize Securing the Freedom of Detained Pastors and People of Faith at U.S-China Summit

Grassley, Budd, Kaine Urge Trump Administration to Prioritize Securing the Freedom of Detained Pastors and People of Faith at U.S-China Summit

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in sending a bipartisan letter to President Trump encouraging the administration to continue raising concerns with China at this week's meeting in Washington, D.C., on the persecution of religious groups in China, specifically including pastors and religious minorities being unjustly held because of their faith.

The letter highlights the persecution of ethnic and religious minority groups such as Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Uyghur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners. In May, President Trump successfully secured the release of Pastor Ezra Jin following conversations with President Xi Jinping at the U.S.-China Summit in Beijing. Jin was finally set free from Chinese captivity in July.

The senators are now urging President Trump to specifically raise the following cases at the U.S.-China Summit in Washington: Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, and Pastor Tang Bingyi of Light of Zion Church and the eight remaining members of Zion Church-Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Zhong, Wang Cong, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng and Wu Qiuyu.

"The United States should continue to promote international religious freedom by calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its harassment and persecution of members of religious organizations, unconditionally release all unjustly detained political prisoners imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religious belief, and ensure that detainees who have not yet been released are treated humanely," the senators wrote.

In addition to Grassley, Budd and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Read the full letter HERE and below.

September 22, 2026

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Trump,

Thank you for raising Pastor Ezra Jin's case with President Xi earlier this year and working to secure his release. We were incredibly grateful to see him reunited with his family on July 3, right before we celebrated the 250th Anniversary of the United States.

The United States should continue to promote international religious freedom by calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its harassment and persecution of members of religious organizations, unconditionally release all unjustly detained political prisoners imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of religious belief, and ensure that detainees who have not yet been released are treated humanely.

Building on your successful engagement leading to the release of Pastor Ezra Jin, we request that you continue keeping those persecuted for their faith in China, including ethnic and religious minority groups such as Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, Uyghur Muslims, and Falun Gong practitioners, top of mind in conversations with President Xi.

Specifically, we ask that in your meeting with him in Washington in late September you raise the cases of remaining pastors like Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu and Pastor Tang Bingyi of Light of Zion Church in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province and the remaining eight members of Zion Church in Beijing: Gao Yingjia, Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Zhong, Wang Cong, Liu Zhenbin, Lin Shucheng and Wu Qiuyu.

Thank you for your consideration,

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