Non-profit organization “China Action” released an open letter to Chinese military personnel on X platform on December 18th, titled “A Letter to Chinese Soldiers: The Historical Responsibility and Call of the Times,” urging Chinese soldiers to understand the situation, see the truth clearly, and make choices that are not unworthy of the times and the people.
In the opening of the public letter, the “commander” states that China is currently on the eve of a great historical transformation. As the cornerstone of the nation, you are standing at a crucial point in history. They hope that when sudden change approaches, you can stay vigilant, hold onto your conscience, and make choices that are not unworthy of the times and the people.
The commander points out several key messages in the letter. Firstly, the party is not the country, and no party has the right to represent the nation. The people’s army has no obligation to pledge allegiance to any political party.
Secondly, it is wrong for the party to command the gun. No party has the power to take control of the military and use it as a tool to maintain one-party rule. The military belongs to the country, not to any specific social group or organization, which is common sense in civilized countries. The allegiance of the military has become a crucial dividing line between democratic and authoritarian countries today.
Thirdly, soldiers should love the land under their feet, be loyal to the people who have worked and thrived on the land for generations, and protect their dignity and peace with their blood and lives. If one mistakenly loves an organization as the homeland, and points guns at the people as ordered by the Communist Party, they do not deserve to be called the people’s army but a true “party guard.”
The commander hopes that Chinese soldiers firmly remember that the Communist Party of China is not China, it is not qualified to represent the entire nation, nor is it qualified to represent the people. What you need to defend is not the Communist Party but the country. Your loyalty should not be to a particular organization but to all the Chinese people! The purpose of the army is to defend the country, uphold the dignity of the constitution, and protect the lives and property of the people.
Referring to the Soviet “August Coup” event, where the vice-president, defense minister, and KGB chairman formed a “State Emergency Committee,” detaining Gorbachev and sending troops into Moscow, surrounding key transportation routes and the federal government building. If Soviet soldiers had followed orders, Moscow would have turned into a bloodbath, reformists and democratic forces would have been severely damaged, and conservative forces would have continued to prevail, prolonging the disintegration of the Soviet Union. However, Soviet soldiers refused to obey the orders, tanks stopped, soldiers did not fire, ultimately leading to the collapse of the coup within three days. They made a historic decision to obey their conscience and social justice, rather than their leaders and betraying the people.
The commander remarks that during the Tiananmen Square massacre in China, due to the lack of historical perspective and decisive wisdom, Chinese soldiers missed the opportunity to integrate into the civilizations of the world.
The commander states that the Communist Party makes you believe you are “defending the homeland,” but in fact, you are maintaining an evil regime based on lies, violence, and subjugation. They have you pledge allegiance to the party flag, but have you ever thought about when they will have you swear allegiance to the constitution and to the people?
In conclusion, the commander urges Chinese military personnel to, under the call of conscience and justice, understand the situation, see the truth clearly, and as the darkness that envelops the land of China is about to dissipate, willingly merge into the first dazzling light of dawn.