CECC China Repression Hearing - Prisoners, Families, Religious Communities & Transnational Repression - September 22, 2026

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Rep. Chris Smith15:25The commission will come to order and good afternoon. Today's Congressional Executive Commission on China hearing will come to order. behind every statistic about political prisoners is a person with hopes and dreams and a life filled sadly with isolation and pain behind every person in the chinese prison is a family waiting praying and hoping that someone will not forget them and behind many of those families is an entire community that feels threatened and far too often intimidated perhaps that is what the Chinese Communist Party wants.

Rep. Chris Smith16:18It wants the prisoner isolated. It wants the family frightened, and it wants everyone watching to conclude that speaking out is either futile or simply too costly. But today, we are here to say we will not look away.

Rep. Chris Smith16:31The real cost is failing to speak out. Silence is not an option. Today, we appeal to Xi Jinping to release women and men of conscience and goodness as a tangible good faith expression of goodwill, benevolence, respect, and strength.

Rep. Chris Smith16:56We appeal to Xi Jinping's heart. We again ask President Trump, who helped Pastor Ezra Jin gain his freedom, to appeal to Xi Jinping to show compassion and courage. Pastor Jin founded as we all know the Beijing Zion Church which grew to a congregation of approximately 1 people before Chinese authorities forcibly shut down its sanctuary in 2018 Even after the physical church was closed however the congregation continued to meet worship teach and evangelize across China By 2025 the Zion church had nearly 100 meeting points in 40 cities.

Rep. Chris Smith17:38The response from the Chinese Communist Party was a nationwide crackdown. In October of 2025, authorities carried out arrests in 11 cities, taking approximately 30 pastors and church leaders into custody. Eighteen were ultimately criminally detained.

Rep. Chris Smith17:53Pastor Jin was one of them. His amazing daughter, Grace, came before the commission and told us what his imprisonment meant for him and for his family. Both Congress and the president on both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate listened and acted.

Rep. Chris Smith18:13The House passed a resolution, my resolution, H-Res 1259, asking the president to help secure Pastor Jin's release during engagement with Xi Jinping. President Trump personally pushed for Pastor Jin's freedom, and he was released and reunited with his family this summer.

Rep. Chris Smith18:34That is something worth celebrating. Pastor Jin himself has said that he believes the direct intervention of President Trump with President Xi was instrumental in securing his freedom, and he returned to America after eight months apart from his family.

Rep. Chris Smith18:53But Pastor Jen's freedom also reminds us of the people who are still behind bars. Eight of his Zion church colleagues remained detained, and according to our commission, their families have raised concerns about extreme temperatures, malnutrition, inadequate medical care, mistreatment in detention, and even the lawyers attempting to defend them have faced pressure.

Rep. Chris Smith19:21We also must remember Americans who remain imprisoned in China. Nelson Wells Sr. has been here before, almost two years ago to the day. On September 8, 2024, he testified at the CECC hearing, bringing home Americans detained in China.

Rep. Chris Smith19:36I chaired it. And it was about his son, Nelson Wells, who has now spent more than a decade imprisoned in China. Nelson Sr. was arrested in, Junior I should say, was arrested in 2014 after traveling to China for medical treatment.

Rep. Chris Smith19:57He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment That sentence was later reduced to 22 years, leaving him incarcerated until 2041. His family has also reported serious and debilitating medical problems. Mr. Wells' testimony was heartbreaking, and he will be appearing shortly before our commission again.

Rep. Chris Smith20:18He told us about the call that changed his family's life, the call telling them that their son had been arrested in China. A nightmare began. and he told us about the deterioration of Nelson's health.

Rep. Chris Smith20:28His father and mother had spent years trying to get their son home. The tragedy of another person, and there are many of them, Dawn Michelle Hunt's imprisonment, has also taken a devastating toll on the family.

Rep. Chris Smith20:46After more than 12 years without his daughter, Dawn's father, Gene Hunt, passed away on January 25th of this year without ever seeing her come home. Her brother, Tim Hunt, is with us today. and has continued the fight their father began, promising to do everything he can to bring Dawn back to her family.

Rep. Chris Smith21:09Dawn is reportedly declining in health, making the family's plea for her humanitarian release all the more urgent. Jean's greatest wish was to see his daughter free. His family now carries that hope forward and asks that Dawn be given the opportunity to come home.

Rep. Chris Smith21:26And that is why I've introduced H.R. 5491, the Nelson Wells and Dawn Michelle Hunt Unjustly Detained in Communist China Act. The legislation recognizes that we need more than expressions of concern. We need a coordinated American response.

Rep. Chris Smith21:47The bill would strengthen the government's ability to identify Americans unjustly detained in China, coordinate their cases, engage with their families, pursue humanitarian releases and prisoner transfers, and identify additional tools for holding responsible Chinese officials that need to be held accountable.

Rep. Chris Smith22:05Because when an American is unjustly detained, the person's family should not have to navigate the Chinese Communist Party system alone. And this repression is not limited to Christians or Americans or any one community.

Rep. Chris Smith22:23Last week our commission heard a compelling appeal from Jimmy Lai son Sebastian Both Sebastian and his sister Claire are asking that their heroic father be freed on the humanitarian base He is very sick He has a 20-year prison sentence.

Rep. Chris Smith22:39He's 78, and he probably will die in prison unless he's released. Making it even harder on the family, Claire has been diagnosed with cancer. She's going through chemotherapy. And as Sebastian said, Claire and her dad, he just wants to hold her hand and be with her during her crisis.

Rep. Chris Smith22:59Gushan Abbas is a retired Uyghur doctor who was detained in Xinjiang and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Her detention came just days after her sister, Gushan Abbas, who will testify today, spoke publicly here in Washington about the persecution of Uyghurs.

Rep. Chris Smith23:19For speaking truth to power, she is taken, arrested, and a 20-year prison sentence is meted out. Gushan's case is an example of transnational repression because of the obvious connection between her detention and her sister's advocacy for Uyghurs in the United States.

Rep. Chris Smith23:40We must also remember the Falun Gong practitioners who have endured decades of persecution. Falun Falun Gong was banned by the Chinese government in 1999, and practitioners who refused to renounce their beliefs have faced imprisonment, torture, forced organ harvesting, and other forms of repression.

Rep. Chris Smith24:01The Commission's 2025 Annual Report identified 485 Falun Gong practitioners among cases of active detention. Once again, the repression does not necessarily end at the prison Gate. Falun Gong practitioners living here in the U.S. report surveillance, harassment, threats, physical assaults, property damage, and reprisals against relatives in China.

Rep. Chris Smith24:23The Justice Department has also prosecuted individuals for acting as agents of the PRC in efforts in targeting Falun Gong practitioners in the United States. Today's hearing, bottom line, is a heartfelt appeal to Xi Jinping.

Rep. Chris Smith24:47Let these wonderful people go. I yield to my good friend and colleague, Jim McGovern,

Rep. Jim McGovern24:53the ranking member Thank you I want to thank Co Smith and Chairman Sullivan for convening this hearing on prisoners of conscience I sorry to have missed last week hearing on Jimmy Lai Co Smith has been a steadfast advocate for him And I add my voice to the many in Congress and beyond who call for his immediate release.

Rep. Jim McGovern25:12Every human being is born free and equal in dignity and rights as provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We must constantly remind ourselves of this universal principle. We are confronted each day with news of the seemingly unending capacity of our fellow human beings to inflict harm on one another.

Rep. Jim McGovern25:33It can seem overwhelming. Perhaps one of the deepest fears a prisoner of conscience can suffer is the fear that they have been forgotten. That is why these events are so essential. That is why human rights work is so crucial.

Rep. Jim McGovern25:48to give those unjustly detained the chance to hear that people are fighting for their freedom. Yesterday, I sent a letter along with Senators Merkley and Van Hollen and Congressman Swazi and Wackenshaw to the president with a list of prisoners of conscience to raise directly with President Xi.

Rep. Jim McGovern26:08The letter named Jimmy Lai, Gulshan Abbas, among many, many more. Behind any list of names are real human beings. People who cannot see their families, live in their homes, pursue their aspirations, or enjoy basic freedoms.

Rep. Jim McGovern26:24People who cannot advocate for themselves or tell us their stories. That is why we welcome our witnesses to speak on behalf of their loved ones. Pastor Jin, it is good to see you in the same seat from which your daughter Grace advocated for your release last November.

Rep. Jim McGovern26:41We think of others from your church who remain in detention. Ms. Abbas, your unrelenting advocacy for your sister Gulshan is inspiring. Mr. Zhang, we appreciate your advocacy for those persecuted for their beliefs. And Mr. Wells and Mr. Hunt, I hope we can finally help bring your son and your sister respectively home.

Rep. Jim McGovern27:05We call for the release of other unjustly detained Americans, including Min Xin and Dr. Yulan Chen from my home state of Massachusetts. Each of these individuals we speak by name should be free. They should be free.

Rep. Jim McGovern27:18They also represent the thousands whose names we are unable to mention today They should be free too Many are profiled in the Commission Political Prisoner Database a valuable tool maintained by the excellent staff of this Commission.

Rep. Jim McGovern27:36We convene with a clear and unified message to President Trump. Advocate for the release of prisoners of conscience in China. Pastor Jin is proof that this goal is achievable. We sincerely hope for more releases.

Rep. Jim McGovern27:52But I'm worried. I'm worried. President Trump has removed human rights from American foreign policy in favor of a transactional approach. A deal can free a prisoner of conscience or even a group, as we recently saw in Belarus.

Rep. Jim McGovern28:08But our aim should be broader. Our fundamental goal must be to ensure that people are not unjustly imprisoned in the first place. This is why we cannot abandon human rights in our foreign policy.

Rep. Jim McGovern28:21A human rights framework grounded on universal principles and international law is essential to convince other governments not to put people in prison for political reasons. We will make tailored arguments to encourage President Trump to act on prisoner cases.

Rep. Jim McGovern28:39But for the future and for the sake of prisoners of conscience in China and everywhere, we will need to restore human rights as an American policy priority. I have always believed that if this country, the United States of America, stands for anything, we need to stand out loud and foursquare for human rights.

Rep. Jim McGovern29:02I thank you all very much, and we welcome your testimony.

Rep. Chris Smith29:05Thank you very much. Thank you, ranking member. I'd like to now introduce our first witness. We have two panels today, and we have Pastor Ezra Jen, of course, with his daughter Grace as his translator.

Rep. Chris Smith29:24Pastor Jim, as you all know, is the founder and pastor of Beijing Zion Church, which grew into one of China's largest independent Protestant congregations. Authorities closed its sanctuary in 2018 after the church refused to install surveillance cameras, but its members continued worshiping in smaller groups and online.

Rep. Chris Smith29:41Pastor Jim was detained in October of 2025 and released this July after more than 260 days in custody. Following sustained advocacy by his family and U.S. officials, including President Trump, he has since reunited with his family here in the United States.

Rep. Chris Smith30:02We welcome you, Pastor Jin. The floor is yours.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin30:05Thank you so much, Mr. Smith, Mr. McGovern, Senator Sullivan, and the CECC for giving me this opportunity to share my testimony. For the sake of time, I will let my daughter read my testimony that I have pre-written and translated.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin30:44I was born in northern China, in the north of China, Fangzheng County, Heilongjiang Province. In 1986, I was admitted to Peking University where I experienced the Tiananmen incident during my time there. Not long afterwards, I became a Christian with the help of some fellow believers.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin31:04In 1992, I was admitted to Yanjing Theological Seminary in Beijing, and after graduating, I stayed on to teach there for six years. In 2001, I was ordained as a pastor by a church in Beijing.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin31:20In 2002, I resigned and went to the United States to study. From 2002 to 2007, I studied at Fuller Theological Seminary in the United States and earned a doctor of ministry degree. After returning to China in 2007, I founded Beijing Zion Church.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin31:39The church grew rapidly, but we also experienced all kinds of persecution from the government. For example, the government put pressure on the landlords to terminate our lease. Police came to stop church activities and demanded the attendees to register their ID cards.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin32:00Police came and cut off water and power of our meeting places. But amid all this pressure, the church kept growing. By 2018, it has grown into a congregation of 1,500 people. In March 2018, the local government wanted to install 24 surveillance cameras inside our sanctuary, which the church resisted for the sanctity of the church and the protection of our congregants Because of this the relationship between the church and the government fell into conflict On the afternoon of September 9th the government mobilized several hundred police to forcibly shut down Zion Church's sanctuary, and the congregation was scattered.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin32:41Starting in 2018, believers under persecution organized gatherings and spread the gospel in various ways. After the pandemic began, the church started using Zoom and other online means to hold worship, teaching, and prayer meetings.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin32:54Believers scattered across different cities preaching the gospel and organizing gatherings. Pastors traveled around to strengthen our congregants' faith and began planting new churches. By 2015, Zion Church has expanded to nearly 100 meeting points across 40 cities.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin33:15On July 2nd, 2024, China's Ministry of Public Security set up a special task force to investigate and apply pressure on Zion Church. And on October 9th, 2025, arrests began and were carried out simultaneously in 11 cities across the country.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin33:40Around 30 pastors and church leaders were taken by police security bureau. by the Public Security Bureau. In the end, 18 pastors and church leaders were criminally detained at a detention center in Beihai City, Guangxi Province.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin33:57During detention, our basic rights were severely restricted. We were not able to have any normal correspondence with our family. The only channel for communication with the outside world was through lawyers. But the lawyers we hired were subject to ongoing persecution as well.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin34:14Some lawyers had their law license revoked, and even their law firms were shut down or ordered to suspend operation for rectification. Some lawyers were intimidated, and one even ultimately decided to go into exile abroad.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin34:30In recent days, our lawyers have again been persecuted. At least three lawyers were forced to withdraw from defending our pastors and coworkers. I was not mistreated during my detention, most likely because Secretary of State Rubio issued a statement within three days of the incident of my arrest and 33 members of Congress publicly issued statements and expressed concern When we were arrested the charge was illegal use of information network but by the time our case was referred to the prosecution office, the charge has been changed to illegal business operation and fraud.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin35:07They treated the church's internal leadership training activities as illegal business operations and treated believers' offerings and support for the pastors as fraudulent activity. This is a tremendous insult and a vicious attack on the Christian faith.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin35:24On July 3rd, without any of notice whatsoever, I was taken out of detention center and brought to Guangzhou Airport where the prosecutor's office withdrew the indictment against me. I was put on a plane bound for the United States and only through the US Embassy consular officer that I learned this happened because President Trump had specifically requested my release from President Xi Jinping during his visit to China.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin35:59Reuniting with my family after eight years apart and watching the fireworks together on America's 250th Independence Day felt like a dream. Even as I rejoice and enjoy such freedom and joy with my family, I cannot stop thinking and worrying about my eight fellow church leaders who remain in prison.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin36:23There are also quite a few other pastors that I know from other churches who are still in prison. And I hope I do not forget them either. I sincerely hope that the member of Congress will continue to pay attention to religious persecution and human rights within China.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin36:42I hope that this meeting between the two heads of states can produce genuine consensus and breakthrough in improving China's human rights situation and ending the persecution of religious believers. Thank you.

Rep. Chris Smith36:58Grace, thank you so very much. and thank you, Pastor Jen, for your courage, for your clear and compelling witness for the wonder of Christianity. You are truly a remarkable man and the fact that you continue to push so hard for all the others left behind that are in prison is just a testimony to who you are and the fact that others of other faiths and other spiritual disciplines like the Falun Gong suffer so horribly in China underscores that we have to do more not less here in the United States to try to effectuate the release and a change in conditions on the ground.

Rep. Chris Smith37:46I know that you mentioned how the lawyers were maltreated. If you wouldn't mind talking about that a little bit, because one way that the Chinese Communist Party can further intimidate is to make sure that the legal representation itself is intimidated and is sanctioned by the government.

Rep. Chris Smith38:05I also would ask you about those members, the eight that are still incarcerated, what kind of prison sentences do you think they will get or have gotten? And whether or not the reports that the medical care, their food, and other conditions are very, very bad, if you can elaborate on that as well.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin38:53The most scary thing is to give the benefits of the Jewish people and the people of the people's供应 as a fraud. And the case of the government is 1,000,000. So, I guess, if you're going to judge this, it's more than 10 years.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin39:14So, the potential sentences for these eight co-workers are truly significant and very difficult. They are currently charged with two charges. One is illegal business operation, and for that they're calling the internal training that we do to develop future pastors and ministers as an illegal business operation.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin39:34And the other is even more horrendous, is that they are calling the normal tithing as fraudulent or fraud and they're putting a big sum of money on that and for that sum, we are looking at potentially decades I want to emphasize today again that the church to support its leaders as well as the tithing to the church is not an illegal act.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin40:30I want to emphasize that even the Chinese Constitution in 36 gives the freedom of beliefs to its people. And it is listed that Christianity is one of the protected religions that China recognizes. And so unless you can say that the tithing and the supporting of the ministers are things that are beyond what the normal activities of our Christian faith, then it should be a protected action.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin41:26Secondly, I want to again emphasize that I am the senior pastor and the main leader of Zion Church, and every time that they have interrogated me, even when I was inside prison, I had repeatedly stated that I am the main leader of our church.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin42:03So if the chairmency thought that it was possible to release me without further indicting me, then it should then also be the case that my coworkers those of my other leaders of my church should also be released without any guilt

Rep. Chris Smith42:35I'm going to ask you, on several trips that I've undertaken to China, I'm barred now from going, sadly, but by their government, not ours, I met with the leaders of the Patriotic Association and the Three Self Movement.

Rep. Chris Smith42:52And I'm wondering, since the Three Self Movement is the Protestant government-run apparatus for the church, they are pushing the synodization of the faith so that everything comports with Xi Jinping's principles rather than the gospel.

Rep. Chris Smith43:09Were they of any help for you or any of the incarcerated, unjustly incarcerated pastors and believers? Because it seems to me, because when I've met with them, I've argued each time that we need to speak out for those, you know, Matthew 25, when I was in prison, did you visit me, is one of my favorite scriptures in the Gospels.

Rep. Chris Smith43:37And I even asked every time I've had those meetings with the Three Self Movement leadership, do you visit the religious prisoners?

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin43:49I think that, Mr. Smith, your question is an incredible question. It's a very important question. In actuality, I've actually been ordained by the Three-Self Church, and I've worked under the Three-Self Church for 10 years.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin44:11We should also acknowledge that even in the Three-Self Church, there are sermons and Bible studies and perhaps even worship songs there. But the real problem is that the Chinese Communist Party is the right to control all of the important things.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin44:37But the main problem with the Three-Self Church is that the Chinese Communist Party directly controls all the activities of the Church. We should say that of the Chinese Christians there are many Chinese Christians that are outside of the structure of the Three Church So this group that are outside of the Three-Self Church, they often get significant pressure and persecution.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin45:25If you should say that in the Bible, when the family of the church has so many people are being forced into the church, if you are in the church in the church, the three-part church should also be recognized and supported, even as the people of the church.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin45:42But it's not just that thing. It's actually that they are standing on the government to否認 that China has such a forced into the church. So like you said, if you are in true church spirit and you see that your fellow believers are being persecuted, you should be standing alongside of the persecuted individuals and the Christians and to be mourning and weeping with us and to be standing with us.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin46:13But in actuality, that is not what is happening for the three self-churches. They are in actuality with the position of the government, and they are saying this is not happening to the outside, and they are silencing this persecution.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin46:32So in a lot of situations, the three self-churches end up becoming the face of showing that the government is okay to persecute the house churches. So in actuality, in reality, inside China, the relationship between the house churches and the three self-churches, the believers, the relations are actually very tense.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin47:13so when the house churches are being persecuted and we are in pain if the three south church pastors are able to speak out for us then that is when we will get true reconciliation and faith together and healing together In

Rep. Chris Smith47:42addition to appealing to President Trump to raise it, the pastors and the leadership of three self should be doing it as well. That's a great point, and thank you for elaborating on that. I do have one final question.

Rep. Chris Smith47:53You know, one of the things that I've noticed in many years of religious freedom work and human rights work, and I've actually, along with Frank Wolf, we got into Perm Camp 35 in the Soviet Union, in a thousand miles outside of Moscow.

Rep. Chris Smith48:11We met with religious prisoners there and political prisoners. We got into a prison camp in China right after Tiananmen Square. but one thing that I've noticed many times is that someone will come up and ask for a bible Scott Flipsey and I were in Romania on one trip and the lead communist minder for us at the end of three days of hearing the gospel preached by so many brave people in Romania asked for a Bible.

Rep. Chris Smith48:42And quietly we gave it to her, and hopefully she found hope and guidance in that Bible. St. Paul talked about how proud he was, even when he was incarcerated, to be able to present the gospel to the Praetorian Guard.

Rep. Chris Smith49:01And, you know, there were jailers who were so moved by the gospel message that they converted. Did you ever find among those who have been incarcerated that some of the jailers have an interest?

Rep. Chris Smith49:16Why is this man, Pastor Ezra Jinn, willing to suffer so much for his faith and has such joy and peace, a peace that surpasses all understanding with a smile that never stops. What is it?

Rep. Chris Smith49:39And do you find any interest among those who are part of the repression apparatus? I'll just say a little bit. I met the President in China. The President told me that he asked if he could I'm going to answer a little bit longer.

Rep. Chris Smith50:08So I've met President Carter in Beijing, and he told me when he met with Deng Xiaoping, he asked for three things. The first is for the churches to reopen. The second is for the Bibles to be reprinted in China.

Rep. Chris Smith50:21And the third is for foreign missionaries to come in. And the next day, Deng Xiaoping came back and said, I'll allow for the churches to reopen and the Bibles to be reprinted, but for the foreign missionaries, no thank you.

Rep. Chris Smith51:00So in fact, the churches did reopen, but the only churches that were allowed to be reopened were the ones that were controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Bibles were allowed to be printed with the help of so many foreign missionaries and organizations.

Rep. Chris Smith51:35And so the Bibles are now being printed inside China. And in fact, China is probably printing the vast majority of Bibles around the world. And yet, the Bible is one of the books that you cannot get inside any bookstores in China, nor any online platforms.

Rep. Chris Smith52:01When I was inside prison, they also didn't allow us to have a Bible. But inside prison if you are a Muslim you are allowed to get food without pork in it But for us we asked and demanded that we need to be allowed to have a Bible inside the prison because that to us is more important as a Christian.

Rep. Chris Smith52:38We received the Bible in the prison. We received the Bible in the prison. We received the Bible in the prison. It seems like it's a bit of a lot of people who received the Bible.

Rep. Chris Smith52:50After two months as we were advocating, we actually were able to get a Bible inside prison, but this was so rare and a very rare event that I know of. Because we're pastors, their main fear was that we would be proselytizing inside the prison.

Rep. Chris Smith53:15They monitored us 24-7. So there were no way for me to actually spread the gospel to them nor baptize them. But it's also the case that there were always people around me that were interested in hearing more and was very interested in the faith.

Rep. Chris Smith53:55In the prison, there was never a time for this particular prison cell. Also, there were never a time where there were this many pastors that they detained. And many of our pastors have quite high education level.

Rep. Chris Smith54:21So there has never seen that many highly educated people all being put in prison. So we were actually relatively respected inside our prison cells. Thank you. Thank you so very much, Pastor Ezra Jin.

Rep. Chris Smith54:36Thank you very much, Grace. We will be moving on to the second panel. But it struck me as you were speaking and the inability to have a Bible and to prophesize that way. It was St.

Rep. Chris Smith54:46Francis who said, always preach the gospel, but only when necessary use words. Your whole person just is a great inspiration So thank you so very very much And again we hoping the president of our country President Trump like he did for you will raise on behalf of you and all the others who will be testifying today your cases with Xi Jinping.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin55:14Can I say one more thing? Yeah. Not only the East Asian Church but there are many very important Chinese教会 of the temple who are now in the temple I want to say two things One is the East Asian High-Trenthi who is 70 years old He may be held for 10 years I really hope everyone will be able to live for him One is the Sao-San-Chang temple He is from the United States He really did a lot of good things in China Especially in the poor places and in the poor places and the poor people and he was very proud of the people He was in prison after 7 years in the jail He was in prison after he was in jail He was already in jail He was in prison for his wife But he couldn't come out I hope that we can We now have a lot of people in the church I just wanted to say one last thing that inside China, it's not just persecuting for Zion churches, persecuting a greater amount, many, many pastors that are in prison.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin56:30Particularly, I want to mention Pastor Gao Quanfu, who is the pastor in Xi'an currently. He is close to 70-year-old, and he said that they are looking at potentially a decade sentence as well. Another pastor, Pastor Cao Sanqiang, he has served his sentence already for seven years, I believe, and he is just a phenomenal and warm person.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin56:56I believe he has his family members in America, and he also is an American green card holder. He is now outside of prison, but they are not allowing him to come back to America.

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri / Grace Jin57:11And he currently has a late stage of cancer.

Rep. Chris Smith57:17And so many Chinese pastors and leaders are really praying for Pastor Cao as well Thank you Thank you so very much I like to now welcome our second panel Our witness will share their experiences with the imprisonment of their loved ones the treatment of religious and ethnic communities in China, and the pressure and intimidation faced by those who speak out from abroad.

Rep. Chris Smith57:43We'll first start with Hushan Abbas, is the founder and and executive director of the Campaign for Uyghurs, and chairs the World Uyghur Congress's Executive Committee. She previously worked for Radio Free Asia's Uyghur service and has spent years working with Congress on the treatment of Uyghurs in China.

Rep. Chris Smith58:06Her sister, Dr. Gushan Abbas, a retired physician, was detained in September of 2018, days after Gushan spoke publicly in Washington about the persecution of the Uyghurs. She remains imprisoned under a 20-year sentence. Ms. Abbas, thank you for joining us and sharing your family's experience.

Rep. Chris Smith58:27And you have been absolutely tenacious on behalf of your sister. So thank you. We'll then hear from Irping Zhang, who's a spokesperson for the Falun Gong. He has addressed human rights issues before audiences in Congress, including this commission in the past, the European Parliament, and other international forum.

Rep. Chris Smith58:48He is the graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. His testimony addresses the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in China and transnational repression through American institutions against practitioners in the United States.

Rep. Chris Smith59:07Mr. Yang, welcome, and we look forward to your testimony as well. Then we'll hear from Nelson Wells Sr., an Army veteran who served for 20 years in the military, and the father of Nelson Wells Jr., an American who has been imprisoned in China since 2014.

Rep. Chris Smith59:29He and his wife, Cynthia, have spent years seeking their son's release while also trying to obtain information about his health and treatment. treatment. Mr. Wells testified before this commission on September 18, 2024, about his son's deteriorating condition and the toll Nelson's imprisonment has taken on their family.

Rep. Chris Smith59:39That led to the introduction of our bill, along with the hunt situation. with Dawn Michelle of a bill that would seek to establish a framework for the United States to systematically promote the interests and the well-being of our incarcerated Americans in China.

Rep. Chris Smith60:16I can say without a fact, without and beyond any reasonable doubt, that it is needed. It needs to be coordinated. There needs to be predictability. When family members come forward and say, please help me, the file doesn't become something that is all the input and then nothing happens or very little happens, doesn't rise to the level of an actionable issue.

Rep. Chris Smith60:34So the both of you and Tim Hunt on behalf of your sister, thank you for being here as well. We're hoping the president himself will raise your cases when he meets with Xi Jinping.

Rep. Chris Smith60:47And Tim Hunt will be speaking on behalf of his sister, Dawn Michelle Hunt. She's been imprisoned in China since 2014. He also testified in September of 2024 and has continued to visit Dawn and advocate for her release on humanitarian grounds.

Rep. Chris Smith61:08Their father, Gene Hunt, an Army veteran and longtime Chicago police officer, died in January without seeing his daughter come home. And what a heartbreak that is. So again, we're so sorry for that loss, but we do have hope that if our president, when our president raises these issues, eyeball the eyeball with Xi Jinping as a main important item for them to act on, that Xi Jinping will be open to that and will respond positively.

Rep. Chris Smith61:36So Roshan, the floor is yours.

Rushan Abbas61:44Thank you, Chairman Smith and the distinguished guests. I'm grateful for the opportunity to testify on this important issue. I'm here today as living proof that the Chinese Communist Party's repression does not stop at China's borders.

Rushan Abbas62:07I'm also come before you as a sister of a kind woman who has been imprisoned unjustly in China's dark dungeon for the past eight years. Countless Uyghurs remained disappeared into China prison and the forced labor systems while the Uyghur genocide and transnational repression continue I testify knowing that behind every statistic is a human being a family torn apart, and the voice the CCP is trying to silence.

Rushan Abbas62:41In September 2018, five days after I spoke about the CCP's mass detention and the genocide of Uyghurs at Hudson Institute, Chinese authorities abducted my sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, in retaliation. An apolitical retired physician, mother and grandmother, with 24 immediate family members who are U.S. citizens.

Rushan Abbas63:08She was secretly sentenced to 20 years in prison. She turned 64 this year, and we still have no independent proof of her health or well-being. My sister's case is the belated act of transnational repression, punishing an Uyghur American for exercising her constitutional rights and sending a chilling message to Uyghurs everywhere.

Rushan Abbas63:31Speak out and your family will pay a heavy price. I did not stay silent. I left my professional career and became a full-time advocate for my people. Now the CCP's transnational repression has reached every facade of my life.

Rushan Abbas63:50A video appeared on YouTube calling for the execution of my husband Abdul Hakim Idris and me. I have received emails asking what color rifle I would prefer to be shot with. Fake books claiming to tell my life story appeared in Amazon after I published my memoir.

Rushan Abbas64:08Those are the two fake books just to confuse the readers. The cyber attacks on my organization campaign for Uyghurs have been persistent. Just today our website was under another round of systematic attacks to get admin access.

Rushan Abbas64:26They even call themselves attackers. About 500 of them attacked our website today. Recently our son's wedding invitation were altered with false details while some Uyghur friends and relatives fear attending the wedding because of possible retaliation against their families back home.

Rushan Abbas64:48Beijing's TNR is designed to discredit survivors spread disinformation intimidate activists into silence and isolate advocates like us Even more sinister these acts are designed to be difficult to detect and to document. They rely on threats, pressure against the family members, surveillance, coercion, and manipulation.

Rushan Abbas65:16The CCP is committed to attacking its targets as covertly as possible. This is precisely what makes the criminal act of transnational repression so dangerous. The CCP merely needs to convince people that their actions, however, mundane, will have consequences.

Rushan Abbas65:37In March this year, my husband, Abdul Hakim Idris, traveled to Malaysia to launch the Malay language edition of his book, China's Colonization of the Islamic World and the Uyghur Genocide. Along with several other reports on Uyghur atrocities, under pressure from Beijing, Malaysian atrocities confiscated his U.S. passport, detained him for nearly for 22 hours, forcibly deported him back to the United States.

Rushan Abbas66:07This should alarm the commission. An American citizen was detained and deported from third country for his Uyghur advocacy, reportedly at Beijing's behest. Now Beijing is attempting to codify the genocide with its ethnic unity and progressive law, which took effect on July 1st.

Rushan Abbas66:25Article 63 of the law allows Beijing to pursue individuals and organizations outside of China for activities is deemed to undermine the ethnic unity. In practice, documenting genocide can be called undermining ethnic unity. Defending our identity can be called separatism.

Rushan Abbas66:48Calling for political prisoners to be freed can become an offense. Speaking before the United States Congress, as I am doing now, could be punished. Consider what that means to the U.S. Americans. Beijing does not determine what an American citizen may say in the U.S.

Rushan Abbas67:08The CCP does not determine which meetings we may attend or which criminal act that we may expose. This claim must be rejected publicly and explicitly. It not only a threat to anyone who speaks out against the CCP but a national security threat to the United States and its sovereignty Congress must respond with strong action and stand firm in its convictions against these egregious violations and engage in material support of the Uyghur community and all those who face China's transnational repression.

Rushan Abbas67:45Congress and this commission have concrete tools to address the CCP's genocide, family separation, forced labor, forced sterilization, forced marriages to Han Chinese, transnational repression, and forced organ harvesting. You can see more details in my written testimony on how we can address these atrocities.

Rushan Abbas68:06I ask Congress to continue raising my sister, Gulshan Abbas's case at the highest levels and demand her immediate release on the medical parole. Please do not allow Uyghur genocide to become yesterday's crisis. Beijing is counting on the world becoming distracted.

Rushan Abbas68:23Every time an Uyghur activist is threatened or a family member is punished, the CCP tests whether America will defend the freedoms exercised on American soil. We cannot allow the answer to become uncertain. The United States must continue to demonstrate leadership on this issue to ensure the protection of Uyghurs and all persecuted groups from the black arm of CCP.

Rushan Abbas68:51Failing to do so will result in their rapid replication and the darkness for all mankind. Thank you.

Rep. Chris Smith68:59Rishan, thank you so very much for that very compelling testimony and the love you have for your sister. It's beautiful. I do want to make a note that C-SPAN is covering this hearing, gavel to gavel.

Rep. Chris Smith69:13They did so last week with Jimmy Lai's son, Sebastian, and I want to thank them publicly because they have full editorial discretion as to what they cover. They're totally independent, and they have chosen to amplify your voices and Pastor Jin earlier.

Rep. Chris Smith69:31And I'm very, very grateful that more Americans now will get to see your appeal to President Trump and to Xi Jinping on behalf of the causes, your sister, Falun Gong, and your sister and your son.

Rep. Chris Smith69:46and I think that's so important. So thank you to C-SPAN. I'd like to now recognize Mr. Zhang.

Erping Zhang69:55Chairman Sullivan, co-chair Smith, and the members of the commission, Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of the American Falun Gong community. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice rooted in the Buddhist tradition.

Erping Zhang70:12The Chinese Communist Party or CCP has persecuted practitioners since 1999 in what remains one of the most severe, longest-running human rights atrocities in China. I would like to highlight three points. First, eradicating Falun Gong remains a top priority for the party.

Erping Zhang70:35Second, this repression has followed us to the United States. Third, its impact reached far beyond our own community. First, a 2024 Department of Justice statement said, the regime viewed Falun as one of the, quote, top five threats to its rule, end quote.

Erping Zhang71:00Official speeches and the local government documents confirm this. A still recent nationwide social media propaganda campaigns and cash rewards offered to Chinese citizens who report on practitioners. Arrests, imprisonment, and death in custody continue.

Erping Zhang71:21The Minghui website which collects reports from across China has documented more than 5,300 deaths from abuse since 1999. Last year Chinese courts sentenced more than 550 people to prison for simply practicing Falun Gong and the police arrested or harassed nearly 5,000 more.

Erping Zhang71:50Americans' loved ones among the victims, Grace Chan, who is now in the U.S. Army, came to America at age 15 to study music. In 2020, her parents were arrested and imprisoned for studying Falun Gong scriptures at a friend's home.

Erping Zhang72:12They have since been released and Grace has learned what her father endured. Doused with cold water, denied sleep, scoured with hot water and forced to drink urine Grace wrote quote I was completely devastated My father never spoke to me about the horrors he barely survived My father is and will always be my hero.

Erping Zhang72:40His devotion to his faith, his courage to stand up against tyranny, and his unwavering love and care as a father make me profoundly proud of him. End quote. Grace has not seen her parents in six years.

Erping Zhang72:57While serving this country, she worries constantly about their safety. Hers is one of many such cases. Second, about the repression coming to the United States. U.S. practitioners are no strangers to violence and intimidation from CCP actors.

Erping Zhang73:17But the pressure has risen sharply in recent years. As reported by the diplomat, in 2022, Xi Jinping personally ordered China's security apparatus to escalate targeting of Falun Gong worldwide, specifically through disinformation and lawfare.

Erping Zhang73:39Earlier this year, the analysis from Graphica uncovered a network of bot-amplified websites impersonating major news outlets, pushing pro-Beijing content, and attacking Falun Gong and Shen Yun, an American music dance company founded by U.S. practitioners.

Erping Zhang74:01However, the escalation does not end there. Since March 2024, more than 310 violent and death threats were directed against practitioners, their families, and Shen Yun. At least 100 of those threats also targeted American institutions and supportive American officials, including members of Congress and Secretary Rubio.

Erping Zhang74:28In June, the Falun Dafa Information Center published a survey of more than 1,000 American practitioners, nearly half reported encountering transnational repression since 2022. more than 600 cases were documented across 30 states where people have suffered from physical violence harassment verbal abuse threats of violence reprisals against family in china and surveillance all for practicing their faith right here The impact reaches far beyond our own community Falun Gong has long served as an incubator for the regime's tactics of repression.

Erping Zhang75:15By the Chinese government's own account, 70 to 100 million people practiced Falun Gong in China in 1999. Practitioners were then detained by the millions, tortured, sexually abused, forced into producing goods that reached American shelves, subject to false organ harvesting.

Erping Zhang75:38That apparatus was later turned on the Uyghurs. The CCP's campaign has also undermined American institutions. In 2024, John Chen was sentenced to 20 months for acting as an unregistered agent of the PRC after trying to bribe a purported IRS official to strip Shen Yun of his nonprofit status.

Erping Zhang76:05Court filings include a photograph of Chen shaking hands with Xi Jinping and they describe how he surveilled practitioners quote, to collect information which would be the basis for potential environmental lawsuits meant to inhibit the growth of Falun Gong community in Orange County, New York and quote where Shen Yun is headquartered.

Erping Zhang76:35This is a clear example of how a CCP proxy sought to weaponize American laws and regulations as an instrument of foreign repression against Falun Gong. This does not stop with us. The full spectrum of tactics is emerging playbook that can be pointed at any group the CCP decides this problem.

Erping Zhang76:59Conclusion, our community is deeply grateful for the bipartisan support we have received over the past 27 years. I would like to especially recognize co-chair Smith, being one of the most vocal supporters. We'll never forget, You led the effort to get the first resolution passed in 1999.

Erping Zhang77:24The party has tried hard to beat down this community silence it discredit it However it has not succeeded Falun Gong practitioners have built the largest information freedom movement in modern Chinese history, from anti-censorship software used by millions to underground printing sites exposing the party's crimes, to Chinese language broadcasts with uncensored news.

Erping Zhang77:53Much of that work is based here, and it helps every group the party victimize. Going forward, I would like to offer two recommendations. The rest are in my written testimony, and I'm happy to discuss them during question time.

Erping Zhang78:12First, during Xi Jinping's upcoming visit, we asked the administration to raise the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong inside China. the transnational repression of practitioners in the United States, and the call for the release of those detained solely for their faith.

Erping Zhang78:31Such engagement would reinforce the US commitment to human rights, national security, and the protection of its citizens. Second, we urge the Congress to advance the pending false organ harvesting legislation, and continue building on the transnational repression measures already introduced.

Erping Zhang78:53In particular, we hope future efforts will address foreign direct litigations used against Americans and ensure that the victims have a clear path to remedy. Thank you, I look forward to your questions.

Rep. Chris Smith79:09Thank you so very much, Mr. Jiang, and for bringing up the forced organ harvesting issue. I had my first hearing on forced organ harvesting 30 years ago, it has now grown to an industrial size exploitation of Uyghurs and Falun Gong.

Rep. Chris Smith79:27We got our bill passed more than a year and a half ago in February called the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act. You know what the vote was? 406 to one. In the previous Congress, we got it passed as well.

Rep. Chris Smith79:38It will criminalize the supply chain of killing young people to extract their internal organs. And my hope is that we will get that to the president ASAP. So thank you for bringing that up.

Rep. Chris Smith79:51Now it's my honor to recognize two, starting with Mr. Wells, two amazing people who are fighting so hard for their left-behind child in a prison in China. Nelson Wills, thank you for being here again as you were.

Rep. Chris Smith80:08And as you know, we introduced the bill based on your testimony as well as the Hunt's that we named the Nelson Wills and Dawn Michelle Hunt Unjustly Detained and Combinator's China Act. And it is really, it provides a true framework for making sure the United States government is ever-present advocating for your incarcerated loved ones.

Rep. Chris Smith80:30So Ms. Wells, the floor is yours.

Nelson Wells Sr.80:57I'll start again. Thank you. Good afternoon Chair Smith and the members of the Congressional Executive Committee on China. Thank you for inviting me back and for allowing me to speak on the behalf of my wife Cynthia and our entire family.

Nelson Wells Sr.81:10I also want to acknowledge Tim Hunt, brother of Don, Michelle Hunt, who has become like family to us in this fight. I have submitted my full testimony on the record, so this afternoon I want to focus on one thing.

Nelson Wells Sr.81:34Bring our son home. I am a proud father of Nelson Wells, Jr. I am proud, but I'm heartbroken. For more than 12 years, my wife and I have been pleading for the release of our son, who has been in prison in China since 2014.

Nelson Wells Sr.82:05Nelson was living in Japan with his wife and children when he traveled to China. As he was leaving the country, he agreed to carry a bag for someone he believed was a friend. thought the bag contained baked goods Chinese authority alleged that those goods contained illegal drugs That one terrible decision and that betrayal changed all of our lives forever Nelson originally received a life sentence.

Nelson Wells Sr.82:45It was later reduced to 22 years. But without time served. Time served. Even after another recent reduction, he is also scheduled to come home 2041. We don't know whether he can last that long.

Nelson Wells Sr.83:12Nelson Health has deteriorated dramatically. These suffer from chronic pain, high blood pressure, diabetes, seizures, malnutrition, dental, and other serious medical problems, severe depression, and thoughts of self-harm. An MRI showed some brain athoporone. And just weeks ago, we learned that Nelson had been diagnosed with hepatitis C.

Nelson Wells Sr.83:44just two weeks ago. That news devastated him, and it devastated our family. For years, Cynthia and I have written letters, made calls, spoke to a member of Congress, worked with advocates, met with government officials, and told Nelson's story to anyone willing to listen.

Nelson Wells Sr.84:07We're especially grateful to Senator Bill Cassidy, Congressman Chair Smith. This commission of American Citizen Service and the many advocates who have stood with us, we're also grateful with the Trump administration, has increased engagement in Nelson's case, including facilitating meetings with senior U.S. officials in China and making an official request for humanitarian release.

Nelson Wells Sr.84:40That request was just last year. Something that we had been trying to get eight years prior But today today we need more much more President Trump I am asking you personally please raise Nelson's case directly with President Xi.

Nelson Wells Sr.85:15My wife and I served our country for decades. I served 20 years in the United States Army, including during the Gulf War. Cynthia served 28 years at the Department of Defense. When our country asked us to serve, we answered.

Nelson Wells Sr.85:31Now I'm asking our country to answer me. President Trump, I come to you father to father. Nelson is a grown man, but he's still my child. I cannot leave my son behind. President Xi, I appeal to you as a father as well.

Nelson Wells Sr.85:55Nelson has been in prison for more than 12 years. He's sick. His family has suffered. There is no justice in allowing him to die in prison. Please show mercy. Nelson's youngest daughter is 12 years old.

Nelson Wells Sr.86:12She has never seen her father outside photographs. She pray every night for him and for someone who can bring him home. President Trump, President Xi, you can be those people. Our deepest hope is simply bring Nelson home, bring Dawn home, bring them home alive, and bring them home this year.

Nelson Wells Sr.86:40Thank you for this opportunity to testify. I look forward to answering your questions.

Rep. Chris Smith86:50Mr. Wills, thank you for that very powerful appeal and the strength behind it and for your service in the military, 20 years in the Army, and of course your wife working for DOD. Thank you so much.

Rep. Chris Smith87:03This country owes you doing everything it can to bring your son home. Thank you. Mr. Hunt.

Tim Hunt87:11Co-Chair Smith, members of this commission, thank you for inviting me to appear before the committee again It an honor to be here A lot has happened since I last testified before you Some of it has been positive Congressman Smith you kept your word Members of the committee, you've kept your word.

Tim Hunt87:39You have worked to improve communication between American citizen services and my family. Dawn has received more visits. Those visits have lifted her spirits. She is now able to have a few books. To some people, those things may seem small, but to Dawn, they are huge.

Tim Hunt88:00They matter. So, Congressman Smith and members of this commission, thank you. Unfortunately, there have also been heartbreaking developments. Dawn has deteriorated. There is really no other way to say it. I visited her in July of this year, and I did not recognize her.

Tim Hunt88:21Not the sister I remember from my visit in 2024. She has aged dramatically. Her posture is that of someone much older. She is slumped over. She is frail. Her teeth have yellowed and shifted.

Tim Hunt88:40Her hair is much grayer than it was two years ago. Those are the things I could see. But there are other changes too. Dawn's mental health has deteriorated During our visit It was difficult for her to maintain eye contact She struggled to stay focused Our conversations would move in many directions She is paranoid She becomes agitated easily She is angry Because she has not been released She keeps asking me the same question When?

Tim Hunt89:17She wants a date, a date when she will be released. And I have to tell her, I don't know. I don't have a date. I can't give you a date. And when I tell her that, she becomes angry.

Tim Hunt89:31She tells me that all this has done is fill her head with false hopes. Senators, congressmen, and members of this committee, imagine what that does to a person after 12 years. Dawn is still refusing to have a hysterectomy because of her distrust.

Tim Hunt89:51She now tells me she also refuses because she wants the ability to start a family after she is released. She is 54. I am not here to judge my sister for that. I'm here to tell you what I see.

Tim Hunt90:07I see a woman who has spent 12 years incarcerated. I see a woman whose physical and mental condition has deteriorated. I see a woman who continues to hold on to the hope that one day she will be free.

Tim Hunt90:22Since our last testimony, since my last testimony, our family has also suffered another devastating loss. In January, our father Gene Hunt passed away. He was 92 years old. He lived a long life, but he died with his only daughter still in prison.

Tim Hunt90:42Our father died knowing that his little girl was incarcerated. Dawn was not home when he died. She could not be there with him. He could not tell her that he loved her one last time.

Tim Hunt90:56He could not see her one last time. He could not give her words of encouragement, nor could he help her prepare for a life of freedom. He could not be there for when she struggled after 12 years of incarceration.

Tim Hunt91:11That should not happen to any parent. There should have been a different outcome, but unfortunately, one of the worst outcomes happened. I want to tell you about my father. His name was Gene Hunt.

Tim Hunt91:26He was an American of Americans. He served in the Army. He worked as a skimmer in the steel mills. He drove a bus for the Chicago Transit Authority. Then he joined the Chicago Police Department.

Tim Hunt91:40He served there for 32 years. He worked hard. He worked multiple jobs to take care of his family. He was always trying to better himself for us. That was our father. That is how he lived.

Tim Hunt91:55He believed in working hard. He believed in serving his country. He believed in taking care of his family. This is what we were taught. This is what we were taught to be an American.

Tim Hunt92:12You work, you serve, you take care of your family and you keep going even when life becomes difficult My family has suffered greatly senators congressmen and members of the commission they have suffered unnecessarily so And now the burden falls squarely on my shoulders I came back before this committee for a few reasons.

Tim Hunt92:43First, to thank you, to your face, Senator Smith, excuse me, Congressman Smith, thank you very much for what you have done on behalf of my family and on behalf of others. Second, to tell you what has happened to Dawn.

Tim Hunt92:57And third, to tell you what has happened to our family. There are no happy stories I can tell you about reunification. There is no story about our father caring for my sister after she came home.

Tim Hunt93:10There is no story about Dawn rebuilding her life. There is no story about Dawn getting better and moving forward because she is not home. It has been 12 years, 12 years, Dawn continues to suffer the most.

Tim Hunt93:24My father suffered until the day he died. And now I'm left carrying the burdens that remain. The load is heavy. Very heavy. I sit before you again humbly, without pride and without politics. I am simply asking for your help.

Tim Hunt93:44Our government has requested a humanitarian release for Dawn in May of 2025. For that, Dawn and my family are grateful. But to the best of my knowledge, there have been no follow-up requests. So today I'm asking you directly, please use your voices.

Tim Hunt94:06Please ask President Trump to ask President Xi to release Dawn. And please, please ask for the release of Nelson Wells Jr. as well. I need your outside voice. I need your help. I need help that is on equal footing with that, what has been done for others.

Tim Hunt94:30I need help for the average American. I need help for the two- and three-job-working American, the American who has served this country with honor and pride, the American who has struggled but survived, the American who wears that survival as a badge of honor, The American who keeps going when there are obstacles in his path The American who puts out the flag on Memorial Day before the barbecue That is my family That is the family Dawn grew up in We are ordinary Americans and we are proud of it We have asked for help We have waited.

Tim Hunt95:09We have suffered, and we are still asking senators, congressmen, members of this commission, President Trump, please do not let another year pass. Please do not let another birthday pass. And please do not let another holiday pass.

Tim Hunt95:28Please don't let another family member die without Don coming home. Twelve years is a very long time. My father did not get a chance to see his daughter come home. I am asking you to help make sure that I do, and more importantly, that Dawn does.

Tim Hunt95:50Thank you for hearing me today.

Rep. Chris Smith95:59Thank you, Mr. Hunt, Ms. Wells, Mr. Jang, Roshan Abbas. What great people you are. with so much love and compassion, speaking out on behalf of people who are suffering in the case of your sister, your son, Nelson, and your sister, Roushan, and of course all of the Falun Gong practitioners who are being horribly mistreated every single day.

Rep. Chris Smith96:26Our appeal today, the reason why we're having this hearing right before the summit, is to ask to appeal to our president, President Trump, to look Xi Jinping in the eye and say, it's time to pivot, Mr. General Secretary.

Rep. Chris Smith96:36It's time to embrace humanity. Injustice need not be forever. And the cases of your loved ones who suffer every single day wrongly, it needs to be advanced as the priority in this summit. And I'm asking, we're asking that the president, yes, there are other issues, AI, all that, that'll be around.

Rep. Chris Smith97:04But for those who are suffering every day in a laugai or in a prison camp or in a jail, every day is agony. They need to know, and I'm sure they do somehow, how much love you have for them, that you speak out for them so eloquently.

Rep. Chris Smith97:22And I'm greatly moved. We all moved on the commission We will be in touch immediately after this hearing with Marco Rubio who used to sit right here as the co of this commission and a very distinguished and a very effective Secretary of State, and ask him to make sure with his interlocutors and as well as the advice that he proffers to the President, that your cases be front and center, and that Xi Jinping see that this will not go away.

Rep. Chris Smith97:50It brings dishonor to not answer the call and to help those who are suffering so. And, you know, it's a sign of strength, in my opinion, for Xi Jinping to assist. You know, if he gets pushed back back in China, so what?

Rep. Chris Smith98:02He's tough, isn't he? Stand up for people who have so horribly been hurt, like your loved ones. So So your testimonies have been greatly moving. And again, Pastor Jin, thank you earlier for your testimony.

Rep. Chris Smith98:25We do have the gentleman from Virginia who has joined us, and I'd like to yield to him. Mr. Congressman Subramaniam. Subramaniam. Thank you. And I yield him such time as he may consume.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam98:39Thank you so much, Mr. Smith. And thank you so much to everyone who's joined today. and thank you for the brave witnesses who are testifying today. I understand the importance of diplomacy and the importance of bilateral and multilateral relationships, but I also understand that you don't have to sacrifice that to bring up to the forefront human rights abuses, bring to the forefront the treatment of people, the treatment of American citizens abroad.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam99:08And it's very clear now that the PRC has carried out a targeted campaign to detain and persecute religious minorities and those who speak out. This includes human rights advocates and ethnic and religious minorities, whether it's the Falun Gong community or whether it's the Uyghur community.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam99:25And my community, the Northern Virginia community, is home to one of the largest Uyghur populations in the country. And I've heard these concerns straight from my constituents. And one shared how the Chinese government has also blocked communication between Uyghurs abroad and their relatives and use families as leverage points to prevent Uyghurs from speaking out.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam99:46And one constituent, I want to quote him, my family and I have not been able to speak with our loved ones back home for 10 years. We still do not know what happened to them.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam99:55We've been trying to get information through multiple channels, but have not been able to communicate My wife, who is a U.S. citizen, only learned about her aunt's debt in China nearly a year after it happened.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam100:05My daughter even asked if we have any relatives. She did not believe us when I said that we did because we cannot speak with them. Makes people crazy. Another Northern Virginia resident has been living in the U.S. since 2019.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam100:19And though her family remained in China, she was searching for her sister's whereabouts and used social media to try and find information. she later found out that her sister was detained and sentenced to 17 years in prison for observing religious rights after the death of a family member.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam100:30I can tell you story after story, and I'm sure Ms. Abbas can as well, about what's happened just with the Uyghur community, and nothing to say about the Falun Gong community or the American citizens like Mr. Wells and Ms. Hunt.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam100:41It is unacceptable, and we have to call it out. Anytime we're having any sort of bilateral conversation with China. To not do so is irresponsible. And with the work that we're doing in Congress, let's make sure that this is bipartisan.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam100:57Let's make sure the administration understands the message that Americans and our community are trying to send to us in Washington. So thank you, and I'll yield back my time.

Rep. Chris Smith101:12Before we conclude, if there's any other points any of our four distinguished witnesses would like to make. I have lots of questions I could ask, but you have so powerfully laid out the case.

Rep. Chris Smith101:25And my hope is that the President of the United States, the Vice President, and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, will hear you. We will get all of this over to them right away.

Rep. Chris Smith101:30They know your cases. They know the situation. But again, a fresh reminder with such powerful and eloquent testimony needs to be heard and acted upon. Yes, Mr. Hunt.

Tim Hunt101:45I'd like to say one more thing. Sure. As a Christian, I know that the right thing is always the best thing to do. And I don't want anyone here to go through what my family has gone through.

Tim Hunt102:07I want everyone who comes home to have a home to come home to. I want them to have a mother and father to come home to. That's why I want everyone to understand that right here, right now, I want to make sure if Donna Nelson cannot come home at the same time I want to make sure that Nelson comes home first He still has a mother and a father that are alive.

Tim Hunt102:45He still has that family that can support him. He needs that. I am a Christian. Mr. Wells is a Christian. We have spoke. And this is a topic that we push back on. I know that some things may not happen with the ending that everyone will be happy with.

Tim Hunt103:13But I am here to ask this commission today, please bring Nelson home. his parents are older they are sick he needs to come home now if you can't bring home donna nelson at the same time this is my request to you thank you

Rep. Chris Smith103:35thank you for that very selfless

Nelson Wells Sr.103:38statement. Yes. They got to come home together. 2024, we've been united. And there was nowhere in the world that I could even look at Mr. Hunt if Nelson was to come home and Don be left.

Nelson Wells Sr.104:01Please don't let that happen. They got to come home together, as you heard in my testimony, on it. Together. Together. And I thank you for what you said, Tim. But it's got to be together, man.

Tim Hunt104:18Y'all

Nelson Wells Sr.104:20forgive me, please.

Rushan Abbas104:23Thank you so much for your attention and the Congressman Sohas is mentioning what the Uyghur community is facing. He talked about the Uyghurs in Virginia area but every single Uyghur in all over the United States and all over the world.

Rushan Abbas104:54That is exactly the same thing that they are facing in 21st century an information era My husband who sitting behind me Abdul Idris he learned his father death seven months after that happened A son living in the United States learned his father's death, and he doesn't have any idea which day in January when he learned that his father passed away, and back in August.

Rushan Abbas105:25And where? In a concentration camp or in a prison. Right now, actually, 3.4 million Uyghurs are sent to state, impose the forced labor facilities. Modern slavery is happening. And the Uyghur women are forced to marry Han Chinese men, and that became law right now.

Rushan Abbas105:46If any Uyghur girl says no for such a forced marriage for whatever reasons, if she's not ready to get married or she doesn't want to marry to this particular person, she and her entire family will be criminals.

Rushan Abbas106:00And in my sister's case, eight years, no one has seen her. No one knows how she looks today. When Mr. Hunt was talking about her sister, her hair became gray and she looked aged.

Rushan Abbas106:22I'm sitting here trying to imagine how does my sister look right now? And this genocide is full-fledged active happening right now. It's not that's past. So President Trump should bring those cases up, bring those atrocities with Xi Jinping while raising the individual cases like my sister and many others.

Rushan Abbas106:48Thank you.

Tim Hunt106:50Thank you.

Erping Zhang106:56I call with all fellow panelists and feel for you because in the audience we have Lisa Zhou who is a resident continent, a U.S. citizen in Maryland. Her mom, you know, Wang Yiu is still in detention center in Wuhan.

Erping Zhang107:14I would like to make some probably legislation proposals or suggestions. We should consider extend the FORA the Foreign Agent Registration Act to entities involved in foreign direct litigations Because we see a pattern of CCP weaponizing our institutions to, against Americans, including lawfare, disinformation campaign, and also terrorist threats.

Erping Zhang107:54And in particular, we noticed there were proposals in September 2024 in the House Committee on the CCP. They mentioned about the federal level anti-slip statue to counter frivolous lawsuits against Americans by foreign entities.

Erping Zhang108:15And also requiring significant foreign funders of litigation in the U.S. court to fully disclose their funding sources and the ties to foreign governments, including the CCP part of membership. It is appalling that the CCP is weaponizing our institution, especially the legal system, against the American citizens and with all these terrorist, bomb threats, shooting threats, even including targeting at the Kennedy Center here last year.

Erping Zhang108:54So, we should not allow them to act like they are in our own backyard. So we hope that we can have some legislation against this lawfare against Americans and American companies and have full disclosure of their funding or ties with foreign governments.

Erping Zhang109:19Thank you.

Rep. Chris Smith109:20Thank you. Again, I wanna thank all of you for your testimonies, for the tremendous love that you are showing for your loved ones who are being unjustly detained and jailed, and we will do everything we can in this commission to promote their freedom, hopefully systemic change in the PRC, but this summit is a golden opportunity for the president to speak out and to do so boldly, of course civilly, he will do that, we know that, but to really own this issue of Americans detained as well as these other very important issues of the Falun Gong, the Christians, Pastor Jin.

Rep. Chris Smith110:06Thank you so very much. I would say that members and witnesses will have five legislative days to revise and extend the remarks and submit additional materials for the record without objections or ordered. And without that, unless my colleague would like to, without any further ado, this hearing is adjourned.

110:30Thank you. Thank you.