Nine individuals associated with the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu were detained on Tuesday following police actions at their homes and church office. Five of these individuals were subsequently released by Wednesday. The church identified four individuals, including current leader Li Yingqiang and his wife Zhang Xinyue, as remaining in detention. The specific grounds for these detentions and whether charges have been filed remain unconfirmed by the church.
Simultaneously, in Wenzhou, the Yayang Church building began demolition earlier this week, according to video evidence obtained by ChinaAid. ChinaAid reported that local authorities deployed armed and special police officers to the site. Residents in the vicinity were reportedly moved, and instructions were issued against recording or photographing the activity.
These events follow prior detentions last year, which Christian groups interpret as part of government efforts concerning churches operating outside state-sanctioned frameworks. The Chinese government declared 44 million Christians in the country in 2018; however, this figure's inclusion of members from independent churches is unspecified. Government policy mandates that Christian groups align with state-sanctioned churches and approved clergy. Christian organizations claim a noticeable increase in arrests of unauthorized church leaders, a shift from previous practices that often involved warnings and fines before detention.
Prior to these events, Li Yingqiang of Early Rain Covenant Church had communicated to church members in November regarding the potential for further large-scale actions affecting the community.