Independent Chinese journalist Huang Xueqin and labor activist Wang Jianbing were sentenced last Friday (June 14) by the Chinese authorities on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” This action by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been condemned by American officials and overseas Chinese. Last Saturday, many Chinese residents in Los Angeles gathered in Chinatown to protest.
During the gathering, about fifty Chinese people in front of the landmark Sun Yat-sen statue in Chinatown unfurled several protest banners and slogans. Yan Weiyong from Shanghai said, “I cannot accept such an extremely unjust judgment. They have not committed any crimes, they are only safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups.”
The protesters later marched through Chinatown, holding banners that read “Release Huang and Wang” and “End the Persecution, Dissolve the CCP,” chanting slogans like “Down with the Communist Party,” “Release human rights defenders,” and “Oppose political persecution,” attracting residents and businesses to watch. An elderly lady handed them some bottles of water, saying, “I support you!”
At 35 years old, Huang Xueqin has long been focused on women’s rights and wrote articles about the Hong Kong protest movement during a visit to the city a few years ago. Wang Jianbing, who is now 40, has been advocating for labor rights and providing legal support to workers suffering from occupational diseases. Both of them did not make any anti-Communist political remarks, yet were sentenced to five years and three and a half years respectively, having been detained since 2021 for a total of two years. Observers comment that their convictions on charges of incitement to subvert state power show an expanded application of this crime by the CCP.
Jie Lijian, the deputy chairman of the United Democratic Party headquarters, who organized the event, deemed the trial and sentencing of Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing by the CCP as absurd. He said, “The political persecution by the CCP is becoming more and more blatant, without any boundaries.” He noted that the two individuals did not express specific criticism of the CCP, but were merely defending basic women’s rights or mildly addressing labor rights, stating that “If casual gatherings among friends can lead to arrests, then Chinese prisons will never be emptied.”
Attendee Bi Lei remarked, “The CCP has consistently tightened control over society, suppressing various social groups in different sectors. Anyone who dares to speak up is eliminated. This incident proves that the CCP is truly the enemy of the Chinese people, bringing only endless disasters.” He expressed willingness to participate in such protests and noted the increasing involvement of young people, saying that “Only when people know what the CCP is, what it has done, can the Chinese people understand the truth and make informed choices.”
Attendees also wrote postcards for the two victims, preparing to mail them back to China. Jie Lijian mentioned, “We hope to convey a message to them: perpetrators of persecution will be held accountable and exposed in the future.” He emphasized that every bit of attention given to those under oppressive regimes provides them with strength.
As for why the event was held in Chinatown, Jie Lijian explained that the area has many new and old Chinese immigrants and has been a place where the CCP has cultivated pro-CCP organizations for many years. Many immigrants have been deceived by the CCP’s superficial propaganda, and some pro-CCP associations follow the CCP’s instructions, often organizing events to praise the party to cover up its corruption and human rights violations, deceiving overseas Chinese.
“Hosting activities here can help prevent these new and old immigrant friends from being deceived by the CCP.” Additionally, he mentioned that the area is also home to various ethnic communities, and the gathering can help residents understand the dire state of human rights in China.
“We also hope that some pro-CCP organizations around Chinatown will no longer raise the red flag. In the free world, this is a contamination, a contamination of freedom and democracy.” Jie Lijian stated that the red flag should be discarded, as it symbolizes the CCP’s desire to perpetually enslave the Chinese people. “That red color represents the CCP’s revolution. Whose lives do they revolutionize? The lives of ordinary people, intellectuals, and business owners. It is a banner of blood, gathering countless unjust spirits.”
A Chinese man who disrupted the event claimed it was on private property and threatened to call the police to arrest the attendees. When the attendees did call the police and officers arrived, the individual quietly slipped away. Jie Lijian speculated that the person was likely sent by a pro-CCP organization, remarking, “Seeing that intimidation and threats were ineffective, they left in frustration.” Subsequently, a police officer from the Los Angeles Police Department followed the group to ensure the safety of the participants.
Yue Lianqing, responsible for the membership procedures of the United Democratic Party, mentioned to reporters that she has observed an increasing number of individuals actively participating in party events, and the quality of activities has been continuously improving. Many new members expressed during their induction that they wanted to do their part to promote China’s democratic process.