Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, is urging the Trump administration to raise the case of Pastor Wang Yi with Chinese officials, citing reports that the detained leader may be suffering from advanced liver cancer. Fu told Fox News that information from multiple sources inside China describing Wang's condition is "very worrying," though he acknowledged that his organization has not independently verified the diagnosis due to restricted access to the prisoner.
Wang, the founding pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, has been incarcerated since December 2018. A Chinese court sentenced him to nine years in prison in December 2019 on charges of inciting subversion of state power and illegal business operations. The U.S. State Department condemned the conviction at the time, linking it to Wang's advocacy for religious freedom, and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom lists him as a religious prisoner of conscience.
ChinaAid first publicly raised concerns about Wang's health on Sept. 28, requesting that Chinese authorities provide his family with access and disclose medical treatment details. Fu reported that prison officials claimed by telephone on Oct. 1 that Wang was in good health following a medical examination, but his family has not been permitted an in-person visit to assess him since these concerns emerged. Fu stated that despite repeated letters from Wang's wife and relatives, no meeting has been granted.
The restrictions on communication have been severe. Fu noted that Wang's wife has not received a single letter from him in two years and that visits have been brief and closely monitored. He alleged that discussions regarding Wang's health or religious beliefs have led to visits being abruptly terminated. In an Oct. 3 open letter, Early Rain Covenant Church acknowledged the reports but stated it could not determine if Wang had fallen ill. The church called for regular family visits, correspondence, and information about medical care, noting that the family has been permitted fewer than five visits during nearly eight years of imprisonment.
Fu also highlighted the treatment of Wang's wife, Jiang Rong, who was detained during the initial crackdown in 2018. He described her subsequent placement under residential surveillance at a police-arranged location rather than her own home. Fu called on Chinese authorities to allow Wang's wife, son, and elderly parents to meet with him privately, permit an independent medical examination with legal counsel present, and release his medical records.
The ChinaAid president pointed to the July release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri as a precedent for diplomatic intervention. Jin was reunited with his family after President Donald Trump raised his case with President Xi Jinping during a May visit to Beijing. Fu urged U.S. leaders not to let trade and security negotiations overshadow religious freedom concerns during upcoming summits, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Shenzhen in November and the G-20 summit in Miami in December.
In response to Fox News, Liu Chang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy, stated that the embassy had no information regarding Wang's specific case. Liu defended China's religious policies, asserting that the government protects freedom of religious belief under Chinese law and does not interfere in internal affairs of religious groups. The spokesperson did not address questions about Wang's medical condition or family visitation rights. The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.