After the fall of the Chinese Communist Party, the question of how to rebuild Chinese society remains a confusing topic for many Chinese people. On June 20th, the “Citizen Resistance Association” held a seminar at the June 4 Memorial Hall in Los Angeles with the theme “The Democratic Path of Democratic China Under the Pen of Democratic Pioneers: Transitional Justice, Constitutional Reconstruction, and Democratic Future”, reflecting the hopes of overseas Chinese for the future of Chinese society.
On that day, numerous veteran activists, public intellectuals, and representatives of the overseas Chinese community who have long been concerned about democratizing China, human rights movements, and constitutional transformation were invited to attend the conference to discuss the institutional direction and historical responsibilities of China’s future democratic transformation.
The event was divided into three segments: keynote speeches, a forum for democratic pioneers, and a debate on democratic speculation. Following the screening of a keynote speech video by Fang Zongde, a leader of the 1989 Democracy Movement, various guests such as Zhu Yufu, one of the founding elders of the China Democratic Party, exiled Chinese writer Su Xiaokang, veteran activist Lin Jinpeng, Wang Yingguo from the Los Angeles China Democracy Platform, and Shanghai “flower brother” Li Yahui, a participant in the White Paper Movement, took the stage to deliver speeches.
Fang Zongde has long studied Sun Yat-sen’s theories and constitutional systems. He reviewed the history of democratic movements at home and abroad and discussed the relationship between China’s future constitutional reconstruction and transitional justice. He believes that for China to truly move towards freedom and democracy, it must not merely oppose totalitarianism but also think ahead about institutional reconstruction, national positioning, and the transformational capacity of civil society. He believes that the 1946 “Constitution of the Republic of China” represents China’s legal tradition and can contribute to the rebuilding of Chinese society.
Participants concurred that the democratization of Chinese society is a long-term project, and starting preparations now will help people understand the true direction of future Chinese society. While overseas Chinese communities are in the free world, they still bear the responsibility of preserving historical memory, passing down democratic experiences, and proposing referenceable solutions for the future institutional transformation of China.
The topic of the “Democratic Speculation Debate” was: “Should Mainland China restore the 1946 ‘Constitution of the Republic of China’ after democratization, or should a new constitution be drafted?” Both sides prepared extensively and debated issues such as the continuation of legal traditions, constitutionalism, democratic authorization, national reconstruction, and feasibility.
Chairman Wang Yiru of the Citizen Resistance Association stated that the significance of this event lies not in immediately arriving at a single answer, but in allowing democratic individuals of different generations, experiences, and political beliefs to engage in rational discussions about China’s future in the same public space. Whether it is the restoration of the “Constitution of the Republic of China” or the drafting of a new constitution, the crucial point is that China must return to the paths of freedom, democracy, constitutionalism, rule of law, and human rights, allowing the people to once again become the masters of the country.
Wang Yiru emphasized that although the road to democratization in China remains long, only through continuous dialogue and fostering of civic spirit can China gradually change step by step. The association will continue to promote public discussions on civic education, democratic speculation, preservation of historical memory, and Chinese democratization within overseas Chinese communities, utilizing gatherings, discussions, and public debates to spread seeds of change among different cities and generations, accumulating thoughts and power for the future.
Groups participating in this event also included the Free Sculpture Park, the China Parliament, and the YouTube channel “Night Navigator”.