Former Vice President Mike Pence has commended President Donald Trump for his efforts in securing the release of Pastor Ezra Jin, a Chinese national and pastor of Beijing's Zion Church, from detention in China. Pence stated that Trump pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping on Jin's case, leading to his freedom.
During a recent development, Pence highlighted Trump's engagement with Xi Jinping, asserting that this diplomatic pressure was instrumental in facilitating Pastor Jin's release. Pence made these remarks while also calling on China to release Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media tycoon and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, who is currently imprisoned in Hong Kong.
Pence's statement underscores a period of engagement between the Trump administration and China on human rights issues, particularly concerning religious and press freedoms. The former Vice President's commendation of Trump's actions suggests a bipartisan acknowledgment of the effectiveness of direct presidential engagement on such sensitive matters, while also advocating for continued efforts to address other ongoing human rights concerns in the region.