American Pastor David Lin Released from Chinese Prison After Nearly 20 Years
David Lin, an American pastor, has been released from a Chinese prison after nearly 20 years. Lin was sentenced to life in 2006 but has now returned to the United States and reunited with his family.
A State Department spokesperson said, “We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years.”
Lin’s daughter expressed her joy, saying, “No words can express the joy we have — we have a lot of time to make up for.”
Lin’s release comes just weeks after National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi in Beijing. US Representative Chris Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley, the Chair and Co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), are set to hold a hearing on securing the freedom of unjustly detained Americans in China on September 18.
Born in Taiwan, Lin studied chemical engineering and moved to the United States while working for a Taiwanese chemical company. He settled in Southern California and started his own firm supplying latex gloves for hospitals. Chinese authorities first questioned him in 2006, detained him in 2007, and charged him with fraud. Lin pleaded not guilty but was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2009.
Lin was one of three American citizens, along with Mark Swidan and Kai Li, that the State Department considered unjustly jailed in China. Earlier this year, three Americans detained by Russia were also released and returned to the US following a complex prisoner swap.
Doubts Revealed
Pastor -: A pastor is a person who leads and takes care of a Christian church and its members. They often give sermons and help people with their spiritual needs.
Chinese prison -: A Chinese prison is a place in China where people are kept as punishment for committing crimes. It’s similar to jails in India.
US State Department -: The US State Department is a part of the American government that deals with the country’s relationships with other countries, like China.
US National Security Advisor -: The US National Security Advisor is a person who helps the President of the United States with important decisions about the safety and security of the country.
Jake Sullivan -: Jake Sullivan is the current US National Security Advisor. He helps the President with important security matters.
Chinese Foreign Minister -: The Chinese Foreign Minister is a person in the Chinese government who handles China’s relationships with other countries.
Wang Yi -: Wang Yi is the current Chinese Foreign Minister. He works on China’s foreign policies and international relations.
Unjustly detained -: Unjustly detained means being kept in prison or custody without a fair reason or trial. It means the person should not be in jail.
Hearing -: A hearing is a meeting where people discuss and make decisions about important issues. In this case, it’s about helping Americans who are in prison in China.