In front of the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles, there are always Chinese people protesting for various reasons on weekdays. Some protest against forced demolitions, some against judicial injustice, some against religious persecution, and some speak up for the victims. Post-2000 Chinese student studying abroad in the US, Zhang Junjie, also often participates in these protests. Although he has not directly experienced persecution, advocating for the persecuted makes him feel obligated.
Zhang Junjie comes from Shanghai and started studying abroad in the United States during high school. He is tall and at first glance resembles a sumo wrestler, but when he speaks, he exudes the elegance of a scholarly historian, displaying a level of maturity beyond his actual age.
This maturity was evident during his high school days, where classmates often gathered around him to listen to his analytical reasoning. Teachers and parents also took notice, with teachers giving him warnings, while parents who aligned with the party complained that his thinking was problematic and influenced their children negatively, asking them to avoid contact with him.
In fact, he did nothing improper, just cultivated a habit of reading history since the age of 9, which made him love comparing the past and present to find rational explanations for reality. “History is a country’s DNA,” Zhang Junjie said.
Around 2014, when he was still in junior high school and already over 1.7 meters tall, teachers noticed his influence among peers and would jokingly say, “One master brought two apprentices.”
In reality, his independent thinking made the teachers who were used to brainwashing students every day feel concerned. They often told Zhang Junjie, “Your thinking is wrong. As a Young Pioneer, you should be loyal to the party and the country.”
“At most, my thinking may be immature, but you cannot say my thinking is wrong.” Unlike in China, where teachers already have a standardized answer before you start thinking, Zhang Junjie said.
Apart from reading history, as a junior high school student, Zhang Junjie also enjoyed “auditing classes” at universities. Schools like Beijing Normal University and New York University Shanghai often held academic events, and upon learning about them, he always found ways to attend to improve his English and observe how others think. This gradually widened the gap in thinking between him and his peers.
“While the boys in the class loved playing games and the girls enjoyed shopping and following celebrities, I loved reading history books, and of course, novels,” Zhang Junjie said. He also “followed celebrities” at that time, but he followed liberal scholars, with works by Yu Ying-shih being essential on his desk.
Once, the Chinese teacher asked students to write diaries. Zhang Junjie thought that diaries were meant for personal reflection, so he criticized some irrational actions of the school authorities in his diary. To his surprise, the teacher immediately pressured him after reading it, claiming that his thoughts were not in line with the mainstream and involved political issues with negative content.
Frequent historical readings made Zhang Junjie feel immune to being completely brainwashed. Despite the Chinese Communist Party spreading ideological propaganda everywhere, Zhang Junjie was like a “fish that got away from the net.” His parents thought his character was not suitable for the domestic environment and suggested he study abroad in the United States.
After coming to study in the US, Zhang Junjie found that this was the ideal campus life for him. “American schools generally encourage students to think, express themselves, and ask questions, encouraging students to have their own ideas, even if they are not matured. They believe that thinking itself is a good thing,” Zhang Junjie said, contrasting the situation to Chinese teachers who are completely different; American students are more confident and outgoing, while Chinese students appear more insecure and hesitant to express themselves.
The 2016 presidential election had a significant impact on him. Seeing many people protesting on the streets after the election, including teachers leading students in protests, left a strong impression on him shortly after arriving in the US: “I knew the US was a free, democratic country, but didn’t have firsthand experience.” He keenly felt the stark difference in societal atmospheres between China and the US.
At that time, he already knew the truth about the Tiananmen Square massacre, but his understanding was superficial. “In China, even discussing the June 4th incident is taboo, let alone any other negative social news.”
In 2019, the anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong erupted. After checking information, Zhang Junjie was indignant at the Chinese government’s actions and posted support for Hong Kong in WeChat groups. Shortly after, his account was blocked; he asked friends to help him appeal, but they were too frightened to guarantee support.
When then-President Trump mentioned banning WeChat, Zhang Junjie speculated that WeChat wanted to make a statement and ended up unblocking his overseas registered account. However, he found that his posts were being censored, and others couldn’t see them.
“I thought at the time, how can I support Hong Kong?” After seeing information about local pro-democracy movements in Los Angeles through The Epoch Times, Zhang Junjie thought, if there was no opportunity to express himself in his home country, why not try it abroad? So, he joined a Telegram group of the China Democratic Party and saw that they would hold a Halloween parade in Hollywood wearing masks in support of Hong Kong. That day, he rushed over.
“I thought: I want to openly oppose the Chinese Communist Party, I’m not worried about what others might say, I believe what I’m doing is right.” That night, Zhang Junjie put the mask on his head. The sight of the parade inspired him, “I found that many people supported us.” This event also gave him the opportunity to meet democracy activist Zheng Cunzhu.
From commemorating the June 4 incident to supporting Li Wenliang, as he attended more and more gatherings, Zhang Junjie met more people. “I have many friends, including those who have defected in recent years, and they all have various stories. My original social circle could never have introduced me to these people.” The stories of defectors risking their lives to escape shocked and moved him.
“I have seen up close the injustices in Chinese society, the sins of this system, and how the Chinese Communist Party destroys a person’s life, casting a shadow over their existence. I have incredible sympathy for them.” Contact with defectors made Zhang Junjie realize his mission.
International students generally pay higher tuition fees than American students. Zhang Junjie analyzed that the parents of an international student generally have an annual income of at least 1 million RMB; otherwise, they couldn’t afford the annual tuition of 60,000 to 70,000 USD.
“A knowledgeable, conscientious, and socially responsible person should speak up for the people. Otherwise, why should you occupy social resources to receive better education? Where is the meaning and social value of your life?” Zhang Junjie believes that Chinese individuals benefiting from higher education in the US should give back to society, and “speaking up for marginalized groups is the duty of intellectuals.”
Because of his excellent speaking skills and numerous protests in front of the Chinese consulate, he gradually became an active emcee and a person the Chinese security authorities closely monitored. His relatives in China faced threats and harassment one after another, with the police accusing him of “subverting state power and urging him to return to confession” and the like.
“They (the Chinese Communist Party) don’t want me to speak out because they’re actually afraid. They know that what they are doing goes against the laws of nature and humanity, it’s utterly disgraceful.” Zhang Junjie also stated that he officially published a statement on The Epoch Times website, formally withdrawing from the Young Pioneers organization that he once joined.
Personally, he believes that the most effective way to resist the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party is to spread historical knowledge and expose the evils of the regime.
“The Chinese Communist Party knows that what it’s doing is disgraceful, so it wants more and more people to realize its wickedness. If more and more Chinese people realize that humans are entitled to human rights, the Chinese Communist Party will no longer be able to rule and oppress Chinese people without limits. At that moment, with the hearts of the Chinese people lost, no one will follow them, and the authoritarian system of the Chinese Communist Party will collapse overnight.”