On the eve of the third anniversary of the “Blank Paper Movement,” police stations in cities like Nanjing have reportedly been summoning residents and monitoring online discussions. A source from Nanjing University of Media and Communications revealed to reporters that recently, counselors have been advising students to “stay in the dormitory and avoid going out” or “not go to crowded places.”
November 24th, ahead of the third anniversary of the “Blank Paper Movement,” police in cities such as Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu have been on high alert to prevent commemorations by the public, with internet users continuing to search for the whereabouts of university student Li Kangmeng. Reporters interviewed several netizens who participated in protests against the lockdown and in support of the Blank Paper Movement. In Nanjing, multiple netizens informed reporters that police had cautioned them a week earlier to avoid the city center.
One Nanjing netizen, residing near Xinjiekou, was previously summoned by the police for holding up a blank A4 paper for over ten hours. She told reporters that officers visited her home recently, instructing her to “try to avoid going to bustling areas during this time.”
She said, “The national security person in our area contacted me, without explaining the reason for avoiding crowded places, just mentioning that the current situation is more sensitive. I knew immediately what he meant. I didn’t dare to ask further to avoid trouble.”
Another member of an NGO in Nanjing, Mr. Zhong, told reporters that he had also been summoned by the police recently: “The police asked me to cooperate with their work. I asked, as an ordinary citizen, how can I cooperate with you? They advised me not to go to the Fuzimiao area recently and to avoid walking towards Hexi New Town.”
He mentioned that the police emphasized it was just a “reminder, not a summons,” but it still made him feel pressured. “I asked why, but they didn’t explain, just said it was a unified arrangement. I could only nod my head. Who would dare not to?”
In late November 2022, Nanjing University of Media and Communications student Li Kangmeng held a blank A4 paper on campus to mourn the victims of the Urumqi fire and express dissatisfaction with strict epidemic control measures at the time. Her silent protest quickly spread on the internet, inspiring mourning actions in Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and elsewhere on the same day, evolving into a national wave of expression known as the “Blank Paper Movement.”
An employee from Nanjing University of Media and Communications, who requested anonymity, told reporters that class counselors have been reminding students not to stay outside the campus for too long. “The school administration notified various departments to tell students not to cause trouble, not to roam around, without giving reasons. We all understand now, so we won’t ask further, and I dare not ask.”
The employee also mentioned that there have been inquiries about Li Kangmeng on the campus platform recently, making the school a bit nervous, leading to some arrangements. “The atmosphere feels a bit off, but we don’t know what’s really going on.”
Three years have passed, and Li Kangmeng’s whereabouts are still unknown. An informant revealed that efforts have been made to learn about Li Kangmeng’s situation, but details remain scarce. “Some people want to donate money to Li Kangmeng, but I don’t know how she is doing now. When I asked certain people in the school system, they logged into the internal system but didn’t see Li Kangmeng’s name. When I asked, they also gave vague responses, so I didn’t continue pressing.”
A university teacher in Guangzhou disclosed to reporters that their school received a notification emphasizing the need for counselors to communicate more with students and monitor their movements. “They used the term ‘strengthen stability work,’ essentially requesting no gathering situations. In the end, we can only follow orders.”
Apart from Nanjing, there have been signs of tightened control in other cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. A netizen residing near Haidian Zhongguancun in Beijing, Mr. Xiao, mentioned receiving a call from the community inquiring about his “activity plan” recently, advising him to “be careful in selecting the time and place for outings.”
Mr. Xiao stated that community workers didn’t directly reference the Blank Paper Movement but hinted at avoiding popular places for activities on that day. He added, “I understood their tone without the need for explicit explanations.”
Netizen Li Shuang told reporters that discussions related to the protest from three years ago are challenging to find on social media platforms. “Some words cannot be sent out, and sensitive images are instantly deleted. I can see the messages I send, but others can’t. Sometimes I don’t even know if my message went through or not.”
For the past three years, terms related to the Blank Paper Movement have faced continuous restrictions on Chinese internet platforms. In chat groups, using terms like “blank paper” or “A4 paper” may lead to account suspensions. Some netizens mentioned, “We all understand without saying. It’s better to talk about other things, not bring this up.”
At universities like Peking University and Wuhan University, some teachers and students still vividly recall the events of the Blank Paper Movement three years ago. Individuals interviewed from these universities informed reporters that discussions concerning Li Kangmeng have almost disappeared from public spaces on campus, but there are still people paying attention through private channels. “Some people bypass censorship to understand the details of the Blank Paper Movement, some pretend to travel to Thailand to visit Chinese bookstores to learn about protest events during the epidemic in China.”
The interviewee expressed confusion, stating, “I still can’t fathom why civil protests would compel authorities to lift epidemic control measures.”