An American pastor jailed by China since 2006 on what the US has called bogus allegations has been released, the State Department announced Sunday.
David Lin “has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” a State Department spokeswoman told AFP.
“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China,” added the spokesperson.
In addition to Lin, China has detained many other US citizens on various counts, including Kai Li, a businessman suspected of spying in 2016.
Lin was imprisoned for life on charges of contract fraud, according to US media, however Washington claims he was wrongfully seized.
His daughter, Alice Lin, told Politico that her 68-year-old father will arrive in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday.
Several US officials have lobbied for Lin’s and others’ release in recent years.
California Governor Gavin Newsom lobbied for his release during a trip to China last October, which included meetings with President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The release precedes a congressional hearing later this week on US citizens imprisoned in
