On September 25, wearing the yellow hats left behind by the “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times” movement, Kwan Wing-kit and his companions stood together at the protest site outside the United Nations General Assembly. He expressed, “Everyone has their own mission. We are not just living to survive, not merely existing, we have spiritual pursuits.”
Kwan Wing-kit, a worker at a semiconductor company in San Francisco, resigned from his job to participate in this event. Before leaving the country, he was a manager at a domestic enterprise in mainland China. He couldn’t tolerate the management within the Chinese Communist system, describing it as endless “learning” and meetings that cultivated a sense of obedience, making him feel “suppressed”.
He explained that during his time in mainland China, witnessing injustices towards the common people under the CCP’s authoritarian rule prompted him to seek ways for change. He initially focused on Wang Aizhong from Guangdong, working together to spread civic awareness. Kwan Wing-kit emphasized the importance of helping change people’s ignorant thoughts and guiding them to find their own answers.
Wang Aizhong, a prominent figure in the democratic movement in Guangdong and an advocate for the “Southern Street Movement”, was born in 1976. He was a relatively successful businessman, running a pharmaceutical wholesale business in Guangzhou. Kwan Wing-kit mentioned that individuals they associated with were professionals such as teachers, professors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, who were all leading comfortable lives but felt a sense of social responsibility towards addressing the unfairness in society.
Reflecting on the inequalities in China, Kwan Wing-kit pointed out the disparities in retirement benefits between public officials and ordinary citizens. He questioned the substantial gaps in retirement benefits based on whether individuals contributed to social security or not. These discrepancies highlighted the privileges enjoyed by certain groups within the system.
He further discussed how a part of society, the “benefit-seeking class”, supports the CCP’s policies for maintaining control, coupled with manipulation tactics targeting the “ignorant masses”, enabling the regime to solidify its power. By exploiting and dividing groups within society, the CCP perpetuates its dominance while stifling any dissent or calls for change.
Under the CCP’s dictatorial rule, Kwan Wing-kit emphasized the lack of electoral rights and the government’s heavy-handed measures that affect people’s livelihood. The high taxes, inflated housing prices, and the constant struggle for survival exhaust individuals, leaving little room for enjoying life’s pleasures and familial happiness.
In contrast, individuals like Kwan Wing-kit, with a deeper awareness of the system’s flaws, are more determined to oppose the government and seek a different way of life beyond resenting foreign countries and living paycheck to paycheck. They strive for a better future where they can lead fulfilling lives, free from the shackles of oppression and exploitation.