Crackdown on China's Underground Churches Sparks Global Concern

Chinese authorities have detained dozens of pastors from the country's largest underground churches over the weekend, in the most significant crackdown on Christians since 2018, according to church sources and relatives of those affected.

This action coincides with heightened China-U.S. tensions, following Beijing's expansion of rare earth export controls. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the detentions, labeling them as a dire affront to religious freedom, and called for the immediate release of the imprisoned pastors.

The church's founder, Pastor Jin Mingri, faces accusations of 'illegal use of information networks,' a charge punishable by up to seven years in prison. The detentions highlight the Chinese government's ongoing campaign against religious groups, contrasting with state-sanctioned churches.