By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BEIJING (Worthy News) – Nearly half a year after his release from prison, Chinese Pastor John Cao has still not received identity documents and a passport that would enable him to live normally in China or visit his wife in the United States, Worthy News learned Monday.
“Despite his release from custody, the Christian leader is not truly free, as the authorities are refusing to give him an ID card and passport,” said Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC), the advocacy group closely following his case.
An ID card is required for most transactions in Communist-run China – whether it involves travel or a doctor’s appointment. “You can be arrested if the police ask you for an ID card,” added Todd Nettleton, representing Voice Of the Martyrs USA, VOMC’s affiliate.
A photo obtained by Worthy News showed the pastor holding a sign saying: “I am a Chinese citizen, and I love my country, but I don’t have an ID card.”
The apparent refusal by Beijing to provide him with identity papers came as another setback for the devoted Christian, who was released on March 4 after serving seven years on charges that his supporters link to his work as a Christian missionary in neighboring Myanmar, also known as Burma.
“Originally from Hunan province, Pastor John Cao is a permanent resident of the United States and also happens to be married to an American citizen,” VOMC confirmed.
IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE
“Before his arrest, he served as a missionary in Myanmar’s Wa State, building schools and caring for impoverished people in the region. As part of his ministry work, Pastor John frequently crossed the border between China and Myanmar.”
The Christian leader was able to continue his activities for three years till March 2017, when he was detained on charges of “illegal border crossings.”
While his colleague, Jing Ruxia, served one year in prison, Pastor John was sentenced to seven years, which he served after losing several appeals, Worthy News established.
Although behind bars, he expressed his faith in Christ in poetry. Advocacy group ChinaAid published a collection of his poems titled ‘Living Lyrics: Poems from Prison.’
Upon his release, Pastor John was escorted from Yunnan province to Changsha, Hunan, as he “hopes to be soon reunited with his family in the United States.”
Yet, he cannot travel to the U.S., where he resides, without travel documents.
PRAYERS URGED
However, local police in Changsha have disclosed that they intend to supervise and “educate” him for five years, according to Christians who are familiar with the case.
VOMC told Worthy News it had urged its supporters to “Pray that God will work mightily within the hearts of governing officials, allowing Pastor Cao to receive the necessary documentation so he can be reunited with his wife in the United States.”
Yet in a recent audio message monitored by Worthy News, the pastor says, “I have been separated from you all for seven years, but these seven years have been filled with joy, filled with God’s grace, and God’s special presence has been with me every day.”
Yet his difficulties highlighted broader concerns about the plight of devoted Christians in China.
Under President Xi Jinping, numerous believers have been jailed, and several churches closed as he seeks to consolidate his power without groups deemed a threat to his leadership, including Christians, observers say.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Millions of Ukrainians spent Christmas without electricity after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure killed civilians and triggered widespread power outages, Ukrainian officials said.
Christmas Eve passed with little public observance across much of China this year as authorities under the Chinese Communist Party intensified restrictions on religious gatherings, public celebrations, and even seasonal decorations, according to pastors, Christians, and residents who spoke to The Epoch Times.
A coalition of 19 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit challenging new federal restrictions on so-called “gender-affirming” medical treatments for minors, arguing the policy unlawfully threatens health care access and state Medicaid programs.
A booming stock market propelled California’s main state retirement fund to near-record returns, but the fund is still $166 billion short on its obligations, according to the Reason Foundation. With the taxpayer-funded Legislative Analyst’s Office warning the state should be ready for a possible stock market peak and downturn as weak economic conditions persist, the 12-figure pension shortfall could widen once again – and leave taxpayers with the bill.
Talks between Israel and Syria over a potential security agreement have advanced significantly in recent weeks and could be finalized soon, according to an exclusive report by i24NEWS citing a Syrian source close to Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
Israeli security forces announced Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet eliminated a senior operative in Iran’s Quds Force during a strike in northeastern Lebanon.
The United States carried out a targeted military strike against Islamic State terrorists in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day, acting in coordination with Nigerian authorities, U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a series of social media posts.