Authorities in China have detained several pastors linked to one of the country’s largest unregistered Christian congregations, marking the most extensive suppression of underground churches since 2018, according to family members and church representatives.

The arrests occurred over the weekend, coinciding with heightened China–U.S. tensions following Beijing’s recent decision to expand controls on rare earth exports. The detentions have sparked international outrage, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the immediate release of the pastors.

Among those taken into custody was Pastor Jin Mingri, the 56-year-old founder of Zion Church, a prominent unofficial “house church” not recognised by the state. He was arrested at his residence in Beihai, a city in southern China, on Friday evening, according to his daughter, Grace Jin, and a church spokesperson, Sean Long.
“What just happened is part of a new wave of religious persecution this year,” Long said, noting that security forces had questioned over 150 church members in recent months and increased surveillance at Sunday gatherings.

Speaking from the United States, Long said that around the same period, nearly 30 church leaders and members were detained nationwide, though five have since been released. Roughly 20 others remain in custody.

Jin is currently being held at the Beihai City No. 2 Detention Centre on charges of “illegal use of information networks,” according to an official notice shared by Long. The offence carries a possible prison sentence of up to seven years. Supporters fear the pastors could face additional accusations related to sharing religious content online.
“He’s been hospitalised in the past for diabetes. We’re worried since he requires medication,” Grace Jin said. “I’ve also been notified that lawyers are not allowed to meet the pastors, so that is very concerning to us.”

The arrests come in the wake of new regulations from China’s national religious affairs authority that prohibit unauthorised online preaching and “foreign collusion.” Last month, President Xi Jinping pledged to “implement strict law enforcement” and further advance the “Sinicisation” of religion — the process of aligning faith practices with Communist Party ideology.

Official statistics indicate that China has over 44 million Christians worshipping in state-approved churches, most of whom are Protestants. However, estimates suggest that tens of millions more attend unregistered “house churches” operating independently of state control.

Zion Church, which reportedly has about 5,000 regular followers spread across nearly 50 cities, expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic through online sermons and small group worship, Long explained. Founded by Jin — who is also known by his Christian name, Ezra — in 2007 after leaving an official Protestant church, the congregation has long been under scrutiny.

A graduate of Peking University, Jin embraced Christianity following the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Authorities closed Zion Church’s main building in Beijing in 2018 during a wave of raids on major underground congregations. Earlier this year, 11 of its pastors were also briefly detained.

According to Grace Jin, her father has faced travel restrictions since 2018, preventing him from visiting his wife and three children, who now live in the United States. “I think he had always known that there was a possibility he would be imprisoned,” she said.

Last month, police intercepted and forcibly returned Jin to Beihai while he was in Shanghai, according to Grace Jin and Bob Fu, founder of the Christian advocacy group ChinaAid.
“The key underlying reason is that Zion Church has grown explosively into a well-organised network in recent years, which of course must scare the Communist Party leadership,” Fu stated.

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to arrive in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to co-chair a high-level peace summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, aimed at consolidating the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and restoring long-term peace to the Gaza Strip.

According to the Egyptian presidency, the summit seeks “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability.”

President Trump, who is reportedly running behind schedule, is expected to head directly to his plane to join the gathering as soon as possible. The meeting will also evaluate the ongoing implementation of Trump’s 20-point Middle East peace plan, which has guided much of the diplomatic progress seen in recent months.

World Leaders Gather For A New Phase Of Peace Talks

The Sharm el-Sheikh summit brings together more than 20 global leaders and diplomats, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The leaders are expected to discuss the next phase of the ceasefire agreement, post-war reconstruction efforts in Gaza, and mechanisms to ensure humanitarian aid continues to reach affected civilians.

Peace analysts say the summit’s outcome could shape the region’s political landscape, especially if the proposals align closely with Trump’s deal, which emphasizes security guarantees for Israel and political reforms within Palestinian leadership.

Debate Over Gaza’s Future Leadership

A key issue under discussion is the possible involvement of Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority (PA) in administering Gaza once Israeli forces complete their withdrawal. Trump’s plan leaves the door open for the PA’s participation, “contingent on various reforms” but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly opposed such an arrangement.

The Palestinian Authority currently governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. On the sidelines of the summit, Abbas met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the ongoing Israeli troop pullout from Gaza, according to reports from Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Hostage Release And Prisoner Exchange Mark Ceasefire Progress

In a significant breakthrough, all 20 remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas for more than two years have been released as part of the peace deal. The hostages were first handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross before being reunited with their families under the coordination of the Israeli army.

Reports indicate that Hamas allowed several hostages to make brief video calls to their relatives on Monday morning before their release, signaling a new phase of compliance under the mediated truce.

Meanwhile, Israel confirmed it had released more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners under the same ceasefire arrangement. The exchange, facilitated by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, has been described as one of the most substantial prisoner releases in years.

Crowds filled the streets of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, to welcome the freed prisoners, waving flags and chanting in celebration of what many view as a step toward reconciliation and justice.

Trump Departs For Egypt Amid Renewed Global Attention

Before departing for Egypt, President Trump was seen boarding Air Force One at Ben Gurion Airport, accompanied by Prime Minister Netanyahu. The two leaders exchanged brief words on the runway before Trump’s departure for the peace summit.

The Sharm el-Sheikh meeting is seen as a critical step in transforming the temporary ceasefire into a lasting peace framework. With world powers now converging to address the humanitarian and political aftermath of the war, expectations are high that this summit could mark the beginning of a new chapter for Gaza and the wider Middle East.