World News
Chinese lawyer defending underground church flees to Taiwan seeking international resettlement
Ruth Wang left China after authorities demanded the closure of her law firm over its representation of Zion Church members.
The short version
- Ruth Wang, a partner at Beijing's VDoor Law Firm, traveled to Taiwan with her family and is seeking third-country resettlement after Chinese officials pressured her to dissolve her firm.
- The pressure followed a crackdown on the unregistered Zion Church, where 18 members, including founder Ezra Jin, were detained last October before Jin was released two months ago.
- Wang is temporarily staying in a Taiwanese airport transit area, as Taiwan lacks a legal framework to grant political asylum to mainland Chinese citizens.
- She is exploring study options or asylum applications in third countries, including the United States and Canada.
Key facts
- Ruth Wang, a partner at Beijing's VDoor Law Firm, stated that Chinese authorities ordered her and colleagues to dissolve the firm or face an official shutdown.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- VDoor Law Firm represented pastors and members of the underground Zion Church following the arrest of 18 members in October 2025.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Zion Church founder Pastor Ezra Jin was released two months ago after U.S. President Donald Trump raised the case with Chinese President Xi Jinping in May.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- According to Wang, VDoor founder Zhang Kai had his legal license revoked and received an exit ban, while other firm lawyers faced six-month practice suspensions.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- Taiwanese immigration permitted Wang and her family to stay temporarily in the airport area, citing the absence of a formal asylum policy for mainland Chinese citizens.[ABC News · Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unknown whether a third country, such as the U.S. or Canada, will accept Wang and her family for study visas or political asylum.[ABC News · Associated Press]
- How long Taiwanese authorities will permit Wang and her family to remain in airport transit before reaching a resolution has not been stated.[ABC News · Associated Press]