Chinese Leaders Gather in Beijing Hoping World Ignores Persecution

China’s National People’s Congress — a nearly 3,000-member legislative body that would be unwieldy if not for its near-unanimous voting record — is set to meet Thursday to kick off this year’s legislative session and unveil the country’s policy priorities for the next five years.

After a decade under President Xi Jinping’s rule, the event has become increasingly scripted, with no room for genuine debate or disagreement. In its current form, the Congress has become a tool of propaganda.

The event comes as preparations are underway for another major spectacle — an anticipated summit between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump, currently scheduled for March 31 to April 2 in Beijing.

Despite Chinese criticism of a recent U.S. strike in Iran, reports indicate the summit is still going ahead, with high-level American and Chinese officials planning to meet in Paris next week to prepare for what is expected to be an economy-heavy meeting between the two geopolitical heavyweights.

While Beijing is eager to discuss trade relations and negotiate international economic deals, it has historically worked assiduously to avoid addressing religious freedom within its borders. Chinese officials regularly bristle at mention of the topic, insisting that their persecution of religious groups is an internal matter of national security, not one involving international human rights.

Still, the U.S. has consistently broached the topic over the years. In an 11th-hour decision at the end of his first administration, President Trump declared China’s campaign against Uyghur Muslims to be a genocide. This declaration was subsequently upheld by his successor, Joe Biden, and remains in place to this day.

President Trump also raised the case of prominent Catholic businessman Jimmy Lai at a meeting with Xi in late 2025, appealing for his release. Lai was recently convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison on national security charges — essentially a life sentence for the 78-year-old man, whose health is reportedly failing due to inadequate medical attention while imprisoned.

In the weeks leading up to the 2025 meeting, Xi’s administration detained dozens of leaders associated with Zion Church, the largest house church in the country. The purge included its lead pastor, Ezra Jin. Charges were confirmed in November, ensuring that — even if eventually cleared of the bogus charges against him — Jin will remain in prison for a long period of time.

Jin’s health, too, is suffering due to the negligence of his captors and their unwillingness to provide him with the care and medications he needs for certain medical conditions.

Many others are currently suffering for their faith in China. Religious life, even for those not in detention, is heavily restricted. Those seeking to practice their faith independently are automatically viewed as threats to national security and face constant surveillance, pressure, and intimidation.

The post Chinese Leaders Gather in Beijing Hoping World Ignores Persecution first appeared on International Christian Concern.