China frees US Pastor jailed almost 20 years in show of goodwill

China has released an American pastor after nearly two decades in prison, presenting an olive branch to the U.S. that had repeatedly called for his release.

U.S. citizen David Lin was freed from a prison in China, according to a State Department spokesman. The 68-year-old born-again Christian had been held in China since 2006 on allegations of fraud though critics said his sermons and involvement in building a home church were frowned upon by Beijing, which tries to control religious activity.

“He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” the State Department said in a statement to Bloomberg News on Monday.

His unexpected release from jail suggests Beijing is making a show of goodwill at a critical time for U.S.-China relations, especially with the U.S. presidential election in November. While there is progress on issues such as tackling fentanyl trafficking and resuming high-level military talks, tensions persist over Taiwan and technology-sharing.

China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment sent on a public holiday in Beijing.

Lin together with Mark Swidan, a Texas businessman on death row for alleged drug trafficking, and Kai Li, a naturalized U.S. citizen who imported solar energy technology, have been on the State Department priority list of Americans who have been arbitrarily detained.

Lin, who was set to be released in December 2029, was freed just days before a Congress hearing scheduled on Wednesday over securing the freedom of unjustly detained Americans in China.

The Dui Hua Foundation, which campaigns for political prisoners in China, said it welcomed Lin’s release from the Beijing Number Two Prison.

“It represents one of the most important releases of a religious prisoner since Xi Jinping came to power in 2012,” John Kamm, chairman of the Dui Hua Foundation, told Bloomberg News. “It demonstrates a willingness to improve relations with the United States by releasing its citizens from prison.”