Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Sep 15: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged President Donald Trump to push for the release of the Panchen Lama and several other prominent prisoners of conscience during his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In a statement issued on September 14, the bipartisan panel called attention to the upcoming leadership summit, scheduled for September 24, urging the administration to place religious persecution and human rights squarely on the diplomatic agenda.
The commission’s appeal specifically highlights Gedhun Choekyi Nyima—recognized by Tibetan Buddhists as the Panchen Lama—alongside his family, Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, activist Ekpar Asat, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai.
“USCIRF again asks President Trump to seize the opportunity during his upcoming summit with President Xi to call for the release of Gulshan Abbas, Ekpar Asat, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Jimmy Lai, the Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family,” said Vice Chair CeCe Heil.
Precedent and Ongoing Crackdowns
USCIRF pointed to a successful precedent from earlier this year, noting that Chinese authorities freed Pastor Ezra Jin of Beijing's Zion Church in July and permitted him to join his family in the United States. The commission stated that his release followed a direct appeal made by President Trump during their May summit in Beijing.
“In releasing Pastor Jin, President Xi showed that he has the power to release FoRB (freedom of religion or belief) prisoners if he so desires—and indeed he has an obligation to do so under international law,” Heil emphasized.
However, the commission noted that eight other Zion Church leaders arrested alongside Pastor Jin remain behind bars. It identified them as Wang Lin, Yin Huibin, Wang Cong, Lin Shucheng, Liu Zhenbin, Gao Yingjia, Elder Wang Zhong, and Wu Qiuyu—detainees swept up in a wider Chinese Communist Party crackdown on Christian house churches throughout 2025.
Focus on US Residents and Consistent Signals
Urging a repeat of the successful presidential intervention, USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood stressed the importance of consistency in US foreign policy.
“Speaking up again sends a clear and consistent signal that religious freedom for all is a priority for the United States and that it expects the CCP to respect its population rather than persecute millions for practicing their faith,” Mahmood said.
Additionally, the commission drew attention to the case of Pastor John Cao, a lawful permanent resident of the United States. USCIRF asked President Trump to press Chinese authorities to issue Cao a valid passport so he can return to his family and seek urgent medical treatment on American soil.