On Monday, July 1st, John Moolenaar, the Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, sent a letter to the President of Harvard University, requesting a prompt explanation and report regarding the harassment and forced removal of students during protests against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in April.
In the letter, Moolenaar wrote, “This incident has raised serious questions about the possibility of the Chinese (CCP) government engaging in cross-border repression and the harassment and intimidation of critics by Chinese students at Harvard supported by the Chinese (CCP) government.”
Out of concerns for protecting the rights of Chinese students studying in the United States, Moolenaar, an alumnus of Harvard, posed 13 questions to the university regarding the security measures during the visit of the CCP Ambassador to the U.S. These questions included inquiries about Harvard’s sole responsibility for security, cooperation with the Chinese government, participation of faculty and staff in security arrangements, existence of written security agreements, collaboration of the Kennedy School’s China Society with the Chinese government, and how Harvard educates international students about their civil liberties and obligations.
Particularly focusing on the Chinese man who violently dragged a protesting female student at the event, Moolenaar raised a question about whether the individual’s actions constituted assault and battery under Massachusetts law by engaging in security work without official written authorization.
On April 20th, during a public event at Harvard University attended by the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., Xie Feng, at least three students stood up holding signs to protest. They loudly criticized Xie Feng and condemned the CCP’s actions in Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong’s freedom deprivation, and the military threats against Taiwan.
Videos circulating online showed a student questioning Xie Feng’s legitimacy to speak at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government while the CCP government flagrantly violates every human rights law in the world. The student was forcibly removed from the venue.
Before the male protester, two female students with similar white cloth signs protested against Xie Feng’s speech, leading to the interruption of the event.
The first protester, a female student identified as Taiwanese student Wu Tinghua, accused Xie Feng of promoting false prosperity of the CCP while having blood on his hands. She was forcefully removed from the venue by a Chinese man in a dark suit, later identified by netizens as Zou Hongji, a graduate student at the Kennedy School.
The second protester, Tibetan student Tsering Yangchen, immediately stood up after Wu Tinghua was taken away, condemned the CCP’s crimes, protested against the CCP’s harsh policies in Tibet and detainment of Uighurs, accusing Xie Feng of committing acts of genocide.
One protester held a sign saying “China Lies,” while the other’s sign read “People Die.”
According to Voice of America, Tsering Yangchen was also taken away. She expressed extreme fear when forcibly dragged out of the venue. After being removed, a seeming organizer who was a Chinese student asked for their names and followed them.
Moolenaar referenced the coverage of the incident by Radio Free Asia in his letter, noting that since 2009, the number of Chinese students studying in U.S. universities has significantly increased, with the Chinese authorities intensifying their monitoring, control, and manipulation efforts. The Chinese government often utilizes student organizations like the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) for united front activities.
CSSA, a student association controlled by the CCP, is present on at least 150 U.S. university campuses. Reports indicate that CSSA receives funding and guidance from Chinese embassies abroad and its members have harassed and intimidated Chinese students openly critical of the CCP.