16 Sep 2024

China has released American citizen David Lin, a pastor who had been imprisoned in the country for nearly 20 years, as confirmed by the US State Department on Sunday.

Lin is among several Americans whom the US considers to have been unjustly detained in China. His release follows a meeting between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, signalling a significant development in a longstanding issue between the two countries.

Lin’s daughter, Alice Lin, informed Politico that Sullivan had raised her father’s case during his visit to Beijing.

David Lin, who entered China in 2006, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009 on charges of contract fraud related to his efforts to open a Christian training center in Beijing. He was initially scheduled to be released in 2029.

The Dui Hua Foundation, a human rights group, noted that contract fraud charges are often used against house church leaders who raise funds for their work, estimating that over 200 Americans are currently “under coercive measures” in China.

The State Department currently has a “level 3” travel advisory for mainland China, advising Americans to “reconsider travel” due to concerns about arbitrary enforcement of local laws, including exit bans and wrongful detentions.