Stand up against weakness: Los Angeles Chinese community supports Fang Yuanrong’s brave move.

In Hunan, a young man named Fang Yirong followed in the footsteps of “Four-Commune Bridge Warrior” Peng Lifa, who gained international attention by hanging anti-Communist banners and playing recordings on a bridge in his county town on July 30. This bold act resonated strongly within the overseas Chinese community. On August 3, Saturday, the Los Angeles democracy movement held a rally in front of the Chinese consulate to show support for Fang Yirong and called for international attention.

Fang Yirong’s name has recently become a hot topic on the internet, especially on various social media platforms. Hailing from Xin Hua County in Loudi, Hunan, born in 2001, Fang Yirong graduated from university last year and participated in the Blank Paper Movement in 2022. After advocating for Chinese democracy online, he was discovered by internet police, subjected to house arrest, and torture. Despite his attempts to compromise, the high-pressure and terror he faced made him realize that there was no room for compromise with the devil. He hopes to bring his experiences to light and expose the devil’s atrocities.

At a rally organized by the All China Democracy Committee, dozens of people displayed banners in support of Fang Yirong and chanted slogans in front of the consulate. During the speeches, attendees came forward to express their thoughts.

For three months, dissident and All China Democracy Party member Tian Yongde, who came to the US, pondered whether Peng Lifa and Fang Yirong’s methods of resisting the CCP were correct. His conclusion was that in the current environment, it is inevitable and necessary.

“If you have dealt with national security and public security agencies, you will notice a phenomenon: the more you retreat, the more they press on you; the more timid you are, the more they demand from you,” Tian Yongde said. He pointed out that the CCP, seeing the public’s compliance and weakness during the three-year pandemic lockdown, is now implementing strict internet control measures, requiring internet users to have online ID cards.

“If we don’t take action, it will only lead to increasingly severe controls. The inevitable outcome will be a North Korea-style situation we will face,” he believes, suggesting that incidents of anti-CCP resistance like those by Peng Lifa and Fang Yirong will increase in mainland China.

The rally was overseen by All China Democracy Party member Zhou Yunlong, who had visited Xinjiang and witnessed the tight social control network where there was a police station every few hundred meters, ensuring immediate responses. He believes that the CCP’s practices in Xinjiang have been extended nationwide, allowing authorities to impose strict controls during the pandemic because they had completed tests in Xinjiang.

Zhou Yunlong stated that public acquiescence will not ease CCP control but will further intensify restrictions. He had a message for the Chinese public: “They want to block all your information channels, to lock you on an island of information, brainwash you, and make you eternal slaves, never to wake up.”

The Blank Paper Movement that erupted at the end of 2022 showcased the spirit of resistance among the Chinese people, leading authorities to retract their barbaric pandemic containment policies. Fang Yirong, an 00s post-university student who participated in the movement, is a prime example.

The term “lying flat” was once used frequently to describe the state of Chinese mainland youths, giving the impression of being passive, but the Blank Paper Movement changed perceptions. The Fang Yirong incident demonstrates that while this group of young people may have been quiet for a while, they are willing to stand up.

Youth participant Li Guangmang, who supported the movement, was astonished by Fang Yirong’s actions. He expressed, “This young man from Hunan chose to confront the CCP in the most drastic way – what is known as ‘storming the tower.’ We witnessed the courage of Chinese young people, dispelling the misconception that they lack the spirit of resistance.”

Li Guangmang believes that Fang Yirong’s case also highlights the lack of freedom of speech for the people in China, saying, “Citizens of any country in the world have the right to express their political views, but Chinese people do not.”

The Fang Yirong incident is not an isolated phenomenon. According to Taiwan’s Central Broadcasting Station, the mainland experiences over a hundred thousand group protest events annually, almost 500 per day on average, with the scope of such events continuously expanding. The strict online and offline surveillance implemented by the CCP has prevented these events from garnering external attention.

Zhou He, Deputy Director of the English Department of the All China Democracy Party’s Los Angeles Committee, told Dajiyuan that Fang Yirong’s actions were a shock to the Chinese people, teaching a lesson and inspiring China’s young students, “He took such great risks to overcome his fears, which is truly admirable.”

“Chinese people should cultivate their courage,” Zhou He said. “Let’s not live like slaves but as dignified individuals.”

Zhou Yunlong reminded overseas Chinese living in the US that while they breathe the air of freedom, they should not forget that “our heroes are being held in Chinese prisons, enduring brutal torture.” “Supporting them is our conscience, and we should all be thankful to them. It is with their lives that they have given us opportunities and our happiness,” he emphasized.