On the afternoon of March 22nd, Bay Area activists gathered in front of San Jose City Hall to support the missing dissident Qian Chenchang, who has been missing for over a month. They called for attention to be paid to dissidents with lower visibility who are dedicated to the democratic movement.
The event was organized by the San Francisco branch of the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance. The initiator of the event, Guan Yongjie, introduced Qian Chenchang, born in 1969, who has long been promoting democratic ideals. He has written over 600 pages of manuscript titled “Phoenix Instruction,” documenting his political beliefs and organizational ideas. In 2023, he traveled to the United States via Southeast Asia, promoting his ideas in New York and attempting to organize a political party.
In February 2026, Mr. Qian decided to return to China and requested that the public speak out on his behalf in case he went missing. Currently, he has been missing for nearly 40 days. Guan Yongjie emphasized that Qian’s visit to the US was purely for his ideals and not for personal gain. Another initiator, Zhou Zhigang, pointed out that Qian Chenchang’s decision to return to China itself is noteworthy, and his current situation is worrying. It is important to raise awareness through continuous activities to inform more people about his case.
Li Haifeng, the head of the San Francisco branch of the alliance, and member Zhang Yong both stated that although Qian Chenchang is not well known to the public, like many participants in the democracy movement, his low visibility makes him easily overlooked or even forgotten. The alliance has supported individuals from various backgrounds in the past, emphasizing that as long as their beliefs and situations are similar, dissenters should be seen and continue to receive attention through media and activities.
He Dongling emphasized that the gathering not only focuses on individual experiences but also involves fundamental values such as freedom and dignity, calling for relevant events to be recorded and acknowledged.
Ye Liangquan, a member of the China Democratic Party, pointed out that Qian Chenchang’s case illustrates that many long-term participants in the democracy movement have not had their voices widely heard. Zhuang Fan noted that Qian Chenchang’s disappearance is not an isolated incident but a systemic result of oppressive measures, showing the legitimacy of a regime that maintains stability by making dissidents “disappear.”
Support actions have also been launched in Los Angeles and other places in solidarity. The organizers stated that they will continue to spread information through online and offline means to raise public awareness of Qian Chenchang and other dissidents with lower visibility.
The organizers expressed special thanks to Chinese Democratic Party member Ma Xiangping for his support and dedication to the production of event banners.