The United States has called for the immediate release of 30 leaders from one of China’s largest underground Christian networks, including Zion Church founder Jin Mingri, who were reportedly detained in coordinated raids across multiple cities over the weekend. According to the US-based non-profit organization ChinaAid, Jin Mingri was arrested early Saturday morning after a team of 10 officers searched his home. The Chinese Communist Party, which promotes atheism and maintains strict control over religious practices, has not yet commented on the arrests. This crackdown is being described as the most extensive in decades, with Christians facing pressure to join state-sanctioned churches led by government-approved pastors. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the arrests, stating that they highlight the CCP’s hostility toward Christians who reject party interference in their faith. This incident adds to the growing tensions between the US and China, already strained by trade disputes and export controls. Under President Xi Jinping, China has intensified its suppression of religious freedom, particularly targeting Christians and Muslims. Despite these challenges, unregistered house churches, including Zion Church, have continued to grow. Founded by Jin Mingri in 2007 with just 20 members, Zion Church now boasts a network of approximately 10,000 followers across 40 cities. The church has faced repeated crackdowns, including a ban in 2018 after resisting government demands to install security cameras. ChinaAid has labeled this latest wave of arrests as unprecedented, likening it to the mass purges of the Cultural Revolution. Jin Mingri’s wife, Liu Chunli, expressed her anguish in a letter, describing her heart as filled with ‘shock, grief, sorrow, worry, and righteous anger.’ Despite the arrests, Jin Mingri remains steadfast, expressing hope for a revival of faith in the face of persecution.