Summary
The United States has asked China to release 30 leaders of Zion Church, an underground Christian church network. The leaders were reportedly detained during recent raids in several cities. The U.S. Secretary of State and other officials have condemned these arrests and called for the leaders' release.
Key Facts
- The U.S. wants China to free 30 leaders of a large underground church network called Zion Church.
- The detentions occurred during police raids over the weekend.
- Zion Church was founded by Jin Mingri in 2007 and has around 10,000 members across 40 cities in China.
- China's government promotes atheism and controls religious practices, allowing only state-approved churches.
- There is no official comment from Beijing about the detentions, and it's unclear if formal charges were made.
- U.S. officials, including the Secretary of State, have criticized the arrests as part of a larger Chinese crackdown on religious freedom.
- The situation may affect U.S.-China relations, which are already tense due to trade issues.
