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China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on April 21, 2026, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
16
March 2026
Past Event
Prioritizing Political Prisoner Advocacy Across China
Prioritizing Political Prisoner Advocacy Across China
Past Event
Invite Only
March 16, 2026
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Police keep watch as an armored prison van carries Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai to the West Kowloon court in Hong Kong, China, on December 19, 2023. (Getty Images)
16
March 2026
Past Event
Speakers:
Moderators:
As President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping prepare to meet in April, striking a favorable trade deal is top of mind. But trade shouldn’t be the only priority. China currently imprisons several political prisoners who are important to the United States government—including Chinese Christian Pastor Ezra Jin, Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, and many others. Several of these prisoners have family members who are American citizens and want to be reunited. Ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting, Washington needs to call for the unequivocal release and safe return of political prisoners.
Join us at Hudson Institute to discuss how advocates, lawmakers, and the US government can prioritize the release of political prisoners across China.
To request an RSVP, please reach out to Talia Magnuson at tmagnuson@hudson.org.
9:30 a.m. | Breakfast and Registration
10:00 a.m. | Panel I: Political Prisoners Past and Present
Moderator: Olivia Enos, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
· Ziba Murat, Daughter of detained Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas
· Grace Jin Drexel, Daughter of detained Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri
· Gao Pu, Son of detained Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife, Pang Yu
· Michael Kovrig, Canadian former diplomat detained in China
11:30 a.m. | Panel II: Strengthening Tools for Securing Political Prisoner Release
Moderator: Michael Sobolik, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
· Olivia Enos, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
· Corey Jackson, Founder and President, Luke Alliance
· Pedro Pizano, Director, John McCain Center for Political Prisoners Initiative
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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