US Had Been Working on Release of American Pastor From China ‘For Some Time’: State Department

The Department of State had been working “for some time” to secure the release of David Lin, an American pastor who had been jailed for nearly two decades in China, said spokesperson Matthew Miller at a press briefing Sept. 16. The department confirmed on Sept. 15 that Lin had been reunited with his family. He had been jailed in the Beijing Number Two Prison. “We do welcome his release and we’re going to continue to work for the release of all wrongfully detained American citizens,” Miller told reporters. “It’s something we continue to work on.” Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s efforts to reopen lines of communication with Beijing on his trip to China in June 2023 was part of the process....