Chinese Church Group Flies to the U.S. After Three Years in Self-Exile

All 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church are bound for Texas after departing Thailand by plane following weeklong detention

Members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church in Pattaya, Thailand, last month. Photo: Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press

A congregation of Chinese Christians seeking asylum abroad is traveling to the U.S. with plans to resettle permanently, capping a three-year quest for a new home outside China that was impeded by repeated legal setbacks and police detention.

The 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, who were detained in Thailand last week for visa violations, have departed the Southeast Asian country for the U.S., a spokeswoman for the United Nations’ refugee agency and a Thai police official told The Wall Street Journal on Friday.

What's News

Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Continue reading your article with
a WSJ subscription

Subscribe Now

Already a subscriber? Sign In

Sponsored Offers
  • TurboTax:
    Save up to $15 with TurboTax coupon May 2023
  • The Motley Fool:
    Epic Bundle - 3x Expert Stock Recommendations
  • H&R Block Tax:
    15% Off DIY Online Tax Filing Services | H&R Block Coupon Code
  • Top Resume:
    10% TopResume Discount Code for expert resume-writing services
  • eBay:
    30% off eBay coupon
  • Groupon:
    Exclusive Groupon Promo Code - 30% Off Local Experiences