Dozens of people of different ethnicities gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco on June 12 (Wednesday) to protest against the authoritarian actions of the CCP. They marched around the consulate chanting slogans like “End the occupation, CCP get out.”
June 12 marks the Philippine Independence Day as well as the 5th anniversary of the violent crackdown on the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. The protest was organized by the “Movement Against Chinese Expansion,” with other participating organizations including the Northern California Vietnamese Community, the US Pinoys for Good Government (USPGG), the Northern California Hong Kong Club, the American Hong Kong Club, the Filipino-American Human Rights Alliance (FAHRA), the National Youth Movement for West Philippine Sea (NMPWS), the Canton Independence Party, and the Yunnan Independence Movement.
Around 11 am, protesters began to gather, waving flags of the Republic of Vietnam, the Philippines, Free Hong Kong, as well as banners of Cantonese independence, Shanghai independence, and Yunnan independence. They held signs saying “Down with Communism,” “Free Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times,” while shouting slogans like “Down with CCP,” “China Lie People Die,” and demanding CCP to get out of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai, Guangdong, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Ms. C, a member of the American Hong Kong Club, stated that the events of June 12 five years ago were a significant turning point. She condemned the CCP as a dictatorship and a deceiver, urging people to boycott products made with forced labor and help the Chinese people break through internet censorship while raising awareness of CCP’s cross-border suppression.
22-year-old Xu Ke, who came to the US two years ago, spoke at the rally about the CCP’s iron-fisted control during the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai, where even those who never cared about politics were restricted. He lamented the loss of independence, freedom, rule of law, and civil rights in Shanghai since the CCP took over and expressed hope for a future without the CCP’s tyranny.
Shepherd Li, a member of the Yunnan Independence Movement, expressed sorrow witnessing the tragedy in Hong Kong, worry over CCP’s bullying of Vietnam and the Philippines, and the decision to stand against the CCP for a brighter future for future generations.
Zheng Yonghua, a member of the Canton Independence Party, denounced the CCP’s ambitions to dominate and enslave the world, standing in solidarity with people from the Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Yunnan, and all freedom-loving individuals worldwide against CCP’s oppression.
Jack Duong, a Vietnamese activist who has been in the US for 25 years, stated that this was his 7th time participating in such protests. They formed an Asian Alliance against CCP hegemony comprising individuals from the Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Tibet, Uyghur, Taiwan, Guangdong, and Mongolia.
According to Ago Pedalizo, head of the Filipino American Human Rights Alliance (FAHRA USA), the CCP’s expansion of their “Nine-Dash Line” to a “Ten-Dash Line” could lead to occupying 90% of the South China Sea unless opposed. He emphasized the need to fight for independence and defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines.
Rad Abarrientos pointed out how the 2016 ruling by the Hague Tribunal against the CCP’s violation of international law was rejected by the CCP, portraying their actions as bullying the Philippines.
Ha Phan, chair of the Northern California Vietnamese-American community, raised concerns over the Vietnamese government’s plan to lease land to China for 99 years in special economic zones, potentially leading to Vietnamese land becoming Chinese after the lease expires and expressing deep worry over CCP’s expansionist ambitions.