ChinaAid has sounded the health alarm over jailed Chinese priest as the family seeks answers

Bob Fu, the founder of ChinaAid, says reports of the advanced liver cancer of Reverend Wang Yi in a Chinese prison are credible but cannot be independently verified.

The founder of ChinaAid warned about the health of the imprisoned priest

Imprisoned Chinese priest Wang Yi may have advanced liver cancer as his family struggles to obtain medical information, ChinaAid founder Bob Fu warns.

The founder of Christian human rights organization ChinaAid has expressed concern for the health of a jailed Chinese priest who may be suffering from advanced liver cancer, as his family continues to face restrictions on visits and access to medical information.

Wang, the founding pastor of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, has been in prison since December 2018, serving a nine-year sentence on charges of inciting subversion of government power and illegal business operations.

Although Fu believes the reports of advanced liver cancer are valid, he acknowledged that his organization was unable to independently confirm the diagnosis.

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Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid, called on the Trump administration to press Chinese authorities to account for jailed priest Wang Yi's health and limited family visits. (ChinaAid)

Fu said ChinaAid "can't really independently" verify the reports, citing restrictions on access to Wang and the lack of an independent medical examination.

The organization first publicly raised its concerns about Wang's condition on September 28, calling on Chinese authorities to provide access to his family and disclose information about his medical treatment.

During the interview, Fu revealed that officials reportedly provided information over the phone about medical examinations they claimed took place on October 1.

According to Fu, prison officials cited medical information that indicated Wang was in good health. However, his family is not allowed a new face-to-face visit to independently assess his condition.

Fu said that despite repeated letters from Wang's wife and relatives asking for access, "there has been no meeting at all" since the latest health concerns surfaced.

The pastor's church has also expressed doubts about his condition.

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Reverend Wang Yi's family has been denied new prison visits after reports that he may have cancer, according to Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid. (ERCC/Facebook)

Early Rain Covenant Church confirmed the reports in an open letter on Oct. 3 but said it could not confirm whether Wang had fallen ill. The church asked prison officials to allow regular family visits, correspondence and phone calls, as well as information about any necessary medical care.

According to the church, the Wang family has been allowed to visit less than five times during their nearly eight years in prison.

Fu also described strict visitation restrictions, saying meetings were short and closely monitored by authorities. He claimed that discussions about Wang's health or religious beliefs led to the abrupt end to the visits.

"For two years, there was not a single letter to his wife," Fu said, describing the communication restrictions.

"This is not acceptable. It is even a violation of its own law."

Wang was arrested on December 9, 2018, during a crackdown on the Early Rain Covenant Church, an independent Protestant congregation that operates outside China's state religious systems.

In December 2019, a court in China sentenced him to nine years in prison. The US State Department at the time condemned the conviction, describing the prosecution as related to Wang's peaceful advocacy of religious freedom and calling for his release.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom currently lists Wang as a prisoner of religious conscience and has documented reports of medical neglect.

Fu also expressed concern about the treatment of Wang's wife, Jiang Rong, who was detained in the initial crackdown.

He said Jiang had previously been placed under residential supervision at a police-designated location instead of being allowed to stay in his own home, describing the lasting emotional consequences of his treatment.

Fu said he believed the severity of the reports warranted immediate action, especially given the limited access to Wang.

He asked the Chinese authorities to allow Wang's wife, son and elderly parents to meet him in private and to allow an independent medical examination, with legal counsel present, and to release his medical records, including information on the drugs prescribed during his imprisonment.

Fu also expressed concern over reports of mistreatment of other prisoners of conscience, including allegations of forced medication and serious physical and psychological harm. The claims were discussed as part of his broader concerns about the treatment of detainees in China, rather than as concrete evidence of what happened to Wang.

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Chinese pastor Wang Yi has been imprisoned since December 2018, when authorities arrested him during a crackdown on his independent Protestant church in Chengdu. (ERCC/Facebook)

ChinaAid's president urged the Trump administration to raise Wang's case directly with Chinese officials during upcoming diplomatic engagements.

He pointed to the release in July of Reverend Ezra Jinmingri, who was reunited with his family after US President Donald Trump raised his case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing in May.

Fu argues that this example illustrates the potential importance of direct diplomatic intervention, although the circumstances of Jin's release do not prove that such pressure would have had the same effect on Wang.

Trump and Xi are expected to attend upcoming international meetings, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China in November and the G-20 summit in Miami in December.

Fu urged US leaders not to let trade and security talks overshadow concerns about religious freedom, human rights and the treatment of prisoners.

"I think it's time to hold them accountable," Fu said.

The spokesman defended China's religious policies, saying the government protects freedom of religious belief under Chinese law and does not interfere in the internal affairs of religious groups.

Liu added that China prohibits illegal activities under the guise of religion and opposes foreign interference in its internal affairs.

The embassy did not directly respond to questions about Wang's reported medical condition, family visits or the possibility of an independent medical examination.