In the period around 2022, many cherry growers in Dalian, Liaoning Province, experienced widespread tree deaths, leading to years of fruitless efforts to seek justice. Recently, the authorities have taken criminal measures against individuals involved in the case.
According to a report from Minsheng Observation on September 27th, the Dalian police have initiated criminal actions against several individuals on charges of “provocation” and “extortion”, expanding to approximately 20 people including growers, lawyers, anti-counterfeiting bloggers, media personnel, assistants, and promoters.
Dalian is one of the important cherry-producing regions in mainland China.
Public reports indicate that around 2022, at least 8 cherry growers in Dalian suffered extensive tree deaths after using agricultural materials (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) sold by Dalian Dianlong Agricultural Sales Co., Ltd. (operating under the account “Cherry Sister” on Kuaishou), affecting about 1,630 acres of land, with some orchards remaining abandoned.
Growers believed that the tree deaths were linked to the agricultural materials sold by Dianlong Company, and they have retained purchase receipts, product samples, and test materials to present to relevant authorities.
In 2023, Dalian authorities claimed to have set up a special task force to handle the tree deaths in Wafangdian District and organized expert investigations. The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau in Dalian City stated at the time that experts conducted on-site investigations at five orchards, concluding that the primary cause of damage to cherry trees’ branches, roots, trunks, and bark was fungal diseases. However, this conclusion has been questioned by some growers.
In a recent report by Minsheng Observation, growers have raised concerns about the timing of the expert sampling, the orchards sampled, and the investigation into pesticide use, which contradict the official investigation findings previously released by Dalian authorities.
Of note is the case of Yu Kewei, which was brought before the court.
According to a report by “Red Star News” in November 2025, Yu Kewei had sued Dianlong Company for damage to 150 acres of cherry trees. The first-instance court determined a causal link between the “Orange Peel Oil” purchased from Dianlong Company and the tree deaths but rejected the evaluation of the amount of losses, hence dismissing the lawsuit.
The second instance concluded that since the ingredient report lacked a seal and there were discrepancies in the acceptance of the causal relationship and the amount of losses in the first instance’s appraisal report, the basic facts of the case were not clear, leading to it being sent back for retrial on April 29, 2024.
However, the retrial of the Yu Kewei case has not been initiated.
During the waiting period for the retrial of the Yu Kewei case, authorities have taken intensive criminal actions against individuals involved in advocating for justice in this case.
Minsheng Observation reported that in late August and early September of this year, bloggers Shen Zhongbin and Li Nan, who previously spoke up for the growers, were criminally detained by the Dalian police on suspicion of extortion.
On September 7th, Yu Kewei, Li Yongfu, and 4 other cherry growers were detained by the Zhongshan Sub-bureau of Dalian Public Security Bureau for allegedly provoking troubles, and they were formally arrested on September 16th.
On September 18th, Yu Kewei’s acting lawyer, Huang Youqi, was taken away by the Dalian police in Shenzhen; on the same day, media person Hong Guangyu, who had previously supported the cherry growers, was brought in by the Liaoning police in Xiamen, Fujian Province.
Hong Guangyu is a former reporter for “Beijing Science and Technology News” and a popular author on food safety.
Hong Guangyu has been detained on charges of “provocation” and is currently being held in the Dalian City detention center.
On September 24th, media influencer Xiang Dongliang disclosed on Weibo that Hong Guangyu’s defense lawyer, with the authorization from family members, visited the Dalian detention center on September 22nd, 23rd, and 24th to request a meeting with the detainee, but the requests were not granted. By the third application, more than 48 hours had passed since the initial request. Xiang Dongliang questioned why the detention center did not allow the lawyer to meet with the detainee as legally required.
Recently, Ms. He, a cherry grower from Shili Fortress in Dalian, told the Epoch Times that after some growers in the region used local pesticides, a large number of cherry trees died, prompting them to sue the company with the help of lawyers. “All the cherry trees have died, and many growers want to clarify what issues there are with the pesticides. When we tried to conduct tests, we were denied. The testing agency only allows government-conducted tests and does not accept private testing and appraisals. We have sought legal assistance to safeguard our rights and have invited media attention. We don’t know what crimes Hong Guangyu is accused of.”
Renowned anti-counterfeit activist in China, Wang Hai, has also spoken out on the Dalian cherry tree deaths on multiple occasions. In 2025, Wang Hai was banned from posting for six months for reposting related questioning posts.
On September 18th of this year, Wang Hai’s assistant Cai Jin was taken away in Zhuozhou, Hebei, for introducing bloggers to cherry growers; on September 22nd, Beijing lawyer Gao Guofeng and his assistant went missing; on September 23rd, Wang Haolong, head of the Wang Hai Laboratory who had previously supported the cherry growers on an evaluation account, was taken away on charges of provocation.
As of now, the Dalian police have not publicly disclosed a complete list of individuals involved in the case, the charges against them, or the basis for the investigation.
On September 26th, representatives of some cherry growers in Dalian jointly issued a statement demanding that the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission and Ministry of Public Security of the Communist Party of China and the Public Security Department of Liaoning Province conduct a thorough review of the case. They also called for the Dalian and Wafangdian Public Security Bureaus to withdraw and appoint jurisdictions from other regions.
They further requested the Liaoning Provincial Procuratorate to supervise the criminal detention, arrest approvals, and related investigation activities, ensure the right of lawyers to meet with detained persons, and re-examine the agricultural materials of Dianlong Company and previous expert opinions. In the case of Yu Kewei, they urged for a swift completion of the retrial.