Global attention will soon turn to U.S.-China relations when President Trump meets with Chairman Xi later in May. With trade, energy, and global conflicts set to dominate the agenda, issues of religious persecution risk being overlooked or ignored.
But two empty chairs should remind us of those suffering for their beliefs, spurring us to prayer and advocacy.
The first empty chair is for Pastor Ezra Jin, founder of the large underground Zion Church in China. Pastor Jin was detained by Chinese authorities in October 2025 as part of a nationwide crackdown on unregistered “house churches.” Police reportedly raided his home in Beihai, Guangxi, and arrested him along with dozens of other church leaders across multiple cities. Charged with offenses such as “illegal use of information networks,” he could face several years in prison while reportedly being held with limited access to family or legal communication. The case is widely seen as part of a broader campaign by the Chinese government to assert control over churches and religious groups operating outside state control. [Watch his daughter Grace Jin Drexel share about his situation.]
The second empty chair is for Ilham Tohti, a prominent Uyghur economist and professor, arrested by Chinese authorities in January 2014 for his writings and advocacy on ethnic relations and Uyghur rights. Uyghurs are a Turkic people in western China and are predominantly Muslim. Tohti was later charged with “separatism” after a closed trial in September 2014, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Human rights organizations and scholars have widely criticized the case as politically motivated, noting that the evidence cited consisted primarily of his peaceful expression and academic work. He has remained in prison with no contact with his family in recent years. His case is emblematic of broader repression of Uyghur Muslims in China, which the first Trump administration identified as suffering a genocide. [Watch his daughter Jewher Ilham speak about his situation.]
Each chair represents different individuals from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. But they have much in common: both are wrongfully imprisoned, both have families pleading for their release, and both are loved by God. Their plight is indicative of the challenges facing Christians and Uyghur Muslims in China who wish to peacefully practice their faith.
Join us in praying for their release, that their cases be raised during the bilateral summit, and that their communities will soon experience religious freedom. If led to take a step towards advocacy, please sign our letter to President Trump asking that he raise concerns about religious persecution and request the release of these two individuals.