On August 9, 2025, at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the official ceremony for the release of the “Declaration of National Resistance Movement,” jointly participated by democratic activists from different generations, was held. This event was organized by China Action and the Citizens’ Resistance Association, and took place simultaneously in multiple cities globally over the course of August 8 and 9, including New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, London, Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and Sydney, with at least ten cities participating.
The executive director of the Citizens’ Resistance Association, Qiu Jiajun, explained that choosing August 8 for the declaration had a dual significance: firstly, to commemorate August 8, 1942, when Mahatma Gandhi initiated the “Quit India Movement,” which was centered on nonviolent resistance; secondly, to pay homage to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who was the first to sign the “Charter 08” in 2008 and also advocated for nonviolent resistance. The spirit of these two pioneers illuminates the direction of the nationwide resistance movement in China.
During the ceremony, Fang Zheng, the president of the China Democracy Education Foundation, along with democratic activists Wang Han and Gao Ming, jointly read out the “Declaration of National Resistance Movement,” the full text of which addresses the aspirations and grievances of the Chinese people throughout history.
The Chinese people have lived under authoritarian rule for centuries, enduring changes of dynasties and national identities without truly becoming masters of their own country. It is time to take decisive action with courage to end the authoritarian rule and usher in a new era of freedom and democracy.
For this purpose, a clear timetable is proposed: within three years, launch a nationwide resistance movement to achieve the great goal that countless predecessors have struggled and sacrificed for.
The declaration emphasizes the undeniable and inalienable rights of Chinese people, similar to those enjoyed by people in free countries worldwide, including the rights to life, property, equality, and the pursuit of happiness.
It stresses that only by overthrowing the authoritarian regime and implementing comprehensive reforms can China overcome its current severe economic and social challenges, laying the political foundation for the construction of a just, equitable, and sustainable nation.
The existence of government is meant to protect people’s rights. When a government not only deprives basic human rights but also relies on such deprivation to maintain its power, it fundamentally goes against its purpose, and the people have the right and duty to change or abolish it.
The sins and harms of authoritarian regimes are numerous and egregious. However, as the declaration emphasizes, to achieve a brighter future, a united and concerted effort is required across all sectors of society to take action against the oppressive system.
Students are indoctrinated, deprived of the freedom to seek knowledge and think independently, facing uncertainty and lack of fair employment and development opportunities. Soldiers, who should defend the country with honor, are instead used as tools for internal power struggles by a party, oppressing the people. Workers are falsely labeled as a “leading class,” stripped of the basic rights to organize unions and strike, facing wage arrears and exploitation without necessary means for labor rights advocacy, receiving conditions and treatment far below international standards.
Farmers are stripped of land ownership, bound for life by household registrations, facing discrimination when seeking work in cities, with no unemployment benefits or healthcare. Officials are ensnared in a corrupt system created by the regime, no safer than ordinary citizens, at risk of secret detention at any time. Private business owners are extorted and plundered daily, forced to navigate relations with government officials out of fear for survival, development, and personal safety.
These stark realities highlight the urgency for Chinese citizens to unite, develop a clearer awareness of their situation, and take collective action against the oppressive system.
The declaration calls for a steadfast belief in nonviolent resistance, urging the learning of nonviolent knowledge and skills, preparation of nonviolent strategies and tactics, and the embarking on nonviolent campaigns such as rallies, strikes, and boycotts to pave the way for democracy.
While acknowledging past nonviolent resistance movements that faced suppression and failure, the declaration emphasizes the need to enhance strategies and tactics to make such resistance more effective. It draws inspiration from successful nonviolent resistances worldwide, underlining the determination of the Chinese people to persist and achieve victory in their struggle for freedom and democracy.
The ultimate goal of the movement is not just to overthrow a dictator or the current authoritarian regime, but to end the authoritarian system in China and establish a lasting democracy. The average success time of nonviolent resistance movements globally has been three years, and with careful planning and decisive action, the Chinese people are confident they will succeed and must succeed in their mission.
Suffering has awakened their resolve, and history has bestowed upon them a responsibility. The power of the people surpasses that of rulers. By publishing this declaration, they are making a collective decision and unified action to put an end to millennia of authoritarianism, embracing a new era of freedom, equality, and glory.
As the reading of the declaration concludes, members of the Citizens’ Resistance Association urge Lily: “Today, on this land of freedom, we declare to the world together: national resistance is more than just a slogan; it is the mission of our generation, a responsibility bestowed upon us by history. We aspire to freedom and democracy! It is time to end the CCP dictatorship! Let the CCP be gone!”
Rise we shall, forward we march, victory shall be ours!!