BEIJING: China has freed a US pastor from prison after 18 years who later flown home to his family in Texas.
David Lin, 68, was awarded a life sentence in 2006 after he was found guilty of assisting an underground church launch a meeting centre in the Chinese capital, Beijing. The US had termed the charges as bogus.
The development took place just weeks after US national security adviser Jake Sullivan met China’s foreign minister in Beijing.
His daughter, Alice, told the media: “No words can express the joy we have – we have a lot of time to make up for.”
She added the US State Department contacted her on Saturday to confirm that Chinese authorities had released her father from jail and that he would be flying into San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday.
“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” a State Department spokesperson said.
The timing of Jake Sullivan’s meeting with foreign minister Wang Yi shows he may have had negotiations to get Lin released. While in jail, the pastor missed his daughter’s wedding and the birth of his grandson.
His release comes days ahead of a congressional hearing aimed at US nationals detained in China, of whom there are estimated to be 200.
China does not accept dual nationality, meaning people who hold both an American and Chinese passport are regarded as Chinese nationals by Beijing.
