Human Rights and Religious Freedom Advocates Call for President Trump to Highlight 'Human Rights Over Tariffs' in Meeting with Chinese President Xi This Week

: By Christian Newswire; Published: 28 June 2019

WASHINGTON – Activists will be holding a prayer vigil and demonstration in front of the White House on Wednesday, June 26, at 12:00 PM. (Pennsylvania NW side.)

Several will be peacefully risking arrest to stand in solidarity with Christians, Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners who are being imprisoned and persecuted for their faith in China.

President Trump has indicated that he will be having "extending meetings" with President Xi at the G20 gathering in Japan this week.

It is critical that President Trump not put economic and business interests above the crushing of religious freedom and human rights abuses in China during his conversations with President Xi.

To President Trump we say, "Fight for human rights in China. Not cheaper sneakers for Americans."

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, has a 35 year history of fighting for religious freedom and human rights in China and was arrested in Tiananmen Square during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He states,

"Hebrews 13:3 says, 'Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.' We cannot ever forget our Christian brothers and sisters in China who are being imprisoned, persecuted and experiencing the destruction of their church buildings.

"We also remember our Uighur Muslim neighbors who are facing unprecedented violence and brutality as 1.5 million have been forced into detention and slave labor camps.

"Sadly, the leadership in China is trampling their own people by crushing religious freedom and human rights. In light of this, we ask President Trump to be very direct and clear with President Xi in challenging him to respect basic human rights in China.

"To President Trump we say, 'Fight for human rights in China. Not cheaper sneakers for Americans.'”