An American pastor was recently freed from prison and transported back to his Texas family after spending nearly 20 years in detention in China.
When David Lin, then 68, was found guilty of fraud in 2006 for aiding an underground “house church” in constructing a place of worship, he was sentenced to life in prison.
ChinaAid claims that he was also prohibited from leaving the nation. Only a few weeks had passed since Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhao and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met in Beijing.
His daughter, Alice, told Politico: “No words can express the joy we have – we have a lot of time to make up for.”
She also mentioned that on Saturday, she received a call from the US State Department informing her that her father had been freed from prison by Chinese officials and would be arriving in San Antonio, Texas, by plane on Sunday.
“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” a State Department spokesperson said.
“He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years.”
Jake Sullivan may have played a role in the discussions that resulted in Mr. Lin’s release, based on the time of his meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“I know that Jake Sullivan did raise my dad’s case,” his daughter told Politico.
Mr. Lin was detained when his grandson was born and his daughter got married. His release occurs a few days before a congressional hearing centred on the 200 or so US individuals who are reportedly being held in China.
Lin was one of three Americans who were wrongfully detained in China, according to the US State Department.
Entrepreneurs Kai Li and Mark Swidan remain incarcerated due to charges of espionage and narcotics offences, respectively.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli