China (MNN) – All eyes are on Washington today as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. While economic issues are expected to top the agenda, religious freedom advocates hope China’s imprisoned Christians won’t be forgotten.

In May earlier this year, President Trump met with President Xi in Beijing. Several weeks later, pastor Ezra Jin was released from prison in China. Pastor Jin, leader of the unregistered Zion Church, was allowed to reunite with his family in the United States.

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM) says, “The last time they (President Trump and President Xi) met, a pastor got out of prison, and they meet again on Thursday. Is it too much to pray for? Is it too much to ask that maybe another pastor would be released?”

Pastor John Cao is currently battling late-stage cancer in China. (Photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA via Facebook)

Now, Nettleton has another name in mind: Pastor John Cao.

Cao has already been released from Chinese prison after serving a seven-year sentence. But he’s still trapped in the country, unable to leave and reunite with his family in the United States.

“He’s not been issued a passport or an exit visa,” says Nettleton. “[Pastor Cao] has residency status here in the United States. His wife is actually American, and so he could come to America if the Chinese will allow him to leave.”

Time is also of the essence since Cao has been diagnosed with late-stage cancer.

Nettleton says, “It seems that he does not have long to live. We would love for him to…be back with his wife, back with his family to live out whatever days the Lord still has for him.

“So hopefully human rights, imprisoned pastors, and in particular, John Cao will come up as Trump and Xi meet this week.”

Cao represents a much larger persecuted Church within China’s borders. Nettleton says, “Right now, we believe there are about 200 church leaders imprisoned in China, and those are the ones that their cases are known.”

On June 14, 2026, local authorities halted worship services of the Early Rain Covenant Church and arrested church leaders, members, and several children, during a Sunday service held in a hotel conference room in Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. (Photo, caption courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA via Facebook)

Behind those numbers are families. Nettleton recently spoke with the wife of another imprisoned Zion Church staff member.

“She said every day her young children ask, ‘So when is Daddy coming home? When will we see Daddy again?’ And every day she has to say, ‘Well, I don’t know exactly when that will happen. I don’t know how long this is going to last.’”

As images from the summit fill the news today, let them become a reminder to pray.

Pray for Pastor Cao’s freedom and reunion with his family. Ask God to strengthen imprisoned Chinese believers and their families. Pray for religious freedom to be part of today’s conversations.

 

Header photo: U.S. President Donald Trump’s May 2026 visit to Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Photo courtesy of The White House/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons)