China has freed David Lin, a U.S. pastor who had been in jail since 2006, the State Department said on Sunday, marking the release of a man who Washington claims was wrongfully detained.

U.S. politicians had for years urged Beijing to free Lin, who was jailed for life on charges of contract fraud.

"We welcome David Lin's release from prison in the People's Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years," said a State Department spokesperson.

Lin's daughter Alice earlier told Politico that her 68-year-old father would be arriving in San Antonio.

"No words can express the joy we have — we have a lot of time to make up for," Politico quoted her as saying.

Last November, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee urged President Joe Biden to use a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to push for the release of Lin and two other detainees: Kai Li and Mark Swidan.

Washington says the three were wrongfully detained. China says such cases are handled according to law.

A congressional commission is due to hold a hearing next Wednesday on the case of American citizens imprisoned in China, in particular Lin, Li, and Swidan, which it said had all faced health issues.