House passes resolution for Trump to demand release of five China detainees

The House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution urging President Donald Trump to have as one of his top priorities, during his future meetings with Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, the release of five people currently detained in China. The vote coincided with the Republican leader's arrival in Beijing for a high-profile meeting with the communist leader, marking his first official state visit to the country since his 2017 trip.

The measure, introduced by New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, passed the House with a final vote of 414 in favor and none against. "This is not a partisan issue. It is a matter of American leadership, American credibility, and American security. When the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] threatens families in the United States to silence advocacy here at home, that is not just repression over there—it is intimidation aimed at us," Smith said.

According to the resolution, Trump "should prioritize securing the release of Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Jimmy Lai detained by the People’s Republic of China during future engagements with Chinese President Xi Jinping."

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has documented that Gao's detention came after Chinese authorities accused him of "using superstition to undermine law enforcement," while Pang was charged with "fraud based on the church's collection of voluntary tithes." Also, lthe commission noted that Jin was detained in October 2025 due to his "Christian activity" and his leadership role in Zion Church.

Moreover, several media outlets have noted that Lai, who is a leading Hong Kong media entrepreneur, was recently sentenced by Chinese authorities to 20 yearsin prison. Similarly, relatives of Abbas have charged that the doctor has remained in the custody of the Chinese regime since 2018, when she was arrested in retaliation for numerous criticisms of Beijing's treatment of Uyghur communities.