David Lin, 68, was sentenced to life in prison in 2006 after being convicted of fraud for assisting an underground “house church” in building a place of worship. He was also prohibited from leaving China, according to ChinaAid.
His release occurred just weeks after US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with China’s foreign minister in Beijing.
Speaking to Politico, his daughter Alice said, “No words can express the joy we feel—we have a lot of time to make up for.”
She added that the US State Department informed her on Saturday that Chinese authorities had released her father, and he would be arriving in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday.
“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” a State Department spokesperson said, adding that Lin has now returned to the US and is seeing his family for the first time in almost 20 years.
Jake Sullivan’s meeting with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi may have played a role in securing Lin’s release, as Alice noted that Sullivan raised her father’s case during the discussions.
During his time in prison, Lin missed significant family milestones, including his daughter’s wedding and the birth of his grandson.
His release comes just days ahead of a congressional hearing on US citizens detained in China, where it is estimated that 200 Americans remain imprisoned.
Lin was one of three Americans the US State Department has classified as wrongfully detained in China. Businessmen Kai Li and Mark Swidan remain in custody, facing espionage and drug-related charges, respectively.
