Beijing house-church leaders detained in latest crackdown on unregistered congregations

Police in Beijing have seized a number of pastors and church workers from the Jiaquan house church, an unregistered congregation that has existed in the city for more than two decades and serves roughly 1,000 members. ChinaAid reported receiving first-hand accounts of the operation but said the exact count of those held and the accusations remain unknown. The organization suggested that coordinated raids could also be targeting Jiaquan congregations outside the capital, marking a broader push against influential city churches that operate outside the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement.

Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, urged officials to name the detainees, reveal their locations, and provide legal justification, as well as allow access to independent counsel. The arrests come shortly before President Xi's summit with Donald Trump and follow a recent Washington forum on religious freedom that highlighted persecution cases. Jiaquan is known for its contemporary worship style, youth outreach, and a music school that trains worship leaders for house churches across China.