Pastor Ezra Jin has been released by the Chinese government after being detained alongside others since October, following diplomatic efforts by US President Donald Trump, while concerns remain over the continued imprisonment of Catholic Jimmy Lai.

In a statement, Pastor Jin’s family thanked President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as 44 senators who signed a joint petition calling for his release. President Trump had raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May during his state visit to Beijing.

His arrest, along those of 17 others in his underground church, was one of the largest crackdowns on a single church in decades, with eight people still remaining in detention. Following his release, he arrived in Los Angeles on July 4.

Concerns remain for those of Pastor Jin’s church still in prison, as well as for Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old Catholic British citizen who received a 20-year prison sentence in February.

President Trump had been asked in May about the issue of Lai’s imprisonment, to which he responded that he would raise the issue with President Xi.

After the state visit, President Trump said: “I did bring it up, but it’s a tougher one for him.”

President Trump later stated he “did not feel optimistic” about Lai’s release.

Lai had founded the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper, a Hong Kong pro-democracy publication. In June 2021, the newspaper was raided by police, had its assets frozen and executives arrested.

He himself was arrested and charged. At his trial, he pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious material.