In a recent event held on June 4th by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) in the United States, Yang Ruohui, the founder and president of the “Citizen Assembly,” an organization established by Chinese students in Canada to resist the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), emphasized the importance of inheriting the spirit of resistance from the Tiananmen Square generation. He stated, “We carry on the spirit of resistance from the Tiananmen Square and uphold our own distinctive characteristics.”
Meanwhile, Kia, a Chinese student at Columbia University in the U.S., who used an alias and wore a black mask, also chose to stand up at the U.S. Congress, despite the risks involved.
Another significant presence at the event was Zhou Fengsuo, a witness of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, who recounted the harrowing experience of facing a tank just twenty feet away 35 years ago.
The trio of Yang Ruohui, Kia, and Zhou Fengsuo brought the spotlight to the younger generation of Chinese individuals openly challenging and confronting the Chinese Communist regime at the hearing.
Witnesses highlighted the increasing involvement of mainland Chinese youth and overseas Chinese youth in resistance against and opposition to the CCP.
During his testimony, Zhou Fengsuo shared an incident from 2022 in Manhattan, New York, where he observed approximately 50 young people joining a protest against the CCP’s tyranny, chanting slogans like “Down with the CCP, Down with Xi Jinping.” He emotionally expressed, “At that moment, tears filled my eyes.”
Reflecting on the past and the present, Zhou noted, “33 years after the Tiananmen Square Massacre, I finally see the younger generation standing up.”
Describing the brutality witnessed during the Tiananmen Square events, Zhou detailed the use of tanks and machine guns by the elite forces of the CCP against peaceful protesters. He described the scene as resembling a battlefield, with the air filled with the pungent smell of tear gas and buildings riddled with bullet holes. Zhou emphasized that what occurred was a war launched by the CCP against the Chinese people.
Despite the passage of time, Zhou emphasized that the CCP continues to suppress any mention of the events that took place during that fateful summer.
Yang Ruohui spoke passionately about overcoming fear and taking a stand against the CCP. He mentioned being inspired by the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition movement, which strengthened his resolve to engage in the democracy movement back in Toronto, Canada.
In the summer of 2022, Yang Ruohui, as a representative of the younger generation, successfully organized a commemorative event for the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre through the “Citizen Assembly.”
Acknowledging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China’s youth, Yang noted that the crisis accelerated the awakening to human rights violations, leading to the establishment of various youth groups worldwide to resist authoritarian regimes.
He pointed out, “Many individuals are gradually awakening and breaking free from the brainwashing of the Communist Party, especially in the face of China’s economic downturn and further societal decay, signaling the imminent downfall of the CCP. As a result, the number of individuals resisting authoritarianism, both within and outside China, will only continue to grow.”
Yang concluded, “Typically, once a ‘pink’ turns into an ‘anti-CCP warrior,’ there is no turning back.”
During the Winter White Paper Revolution in 2022, the “Citizen Assembly” founded by Yang Ruohui played a crucial role in organizing protests and activities.
Yang highlighted the efforts of their European friends who served as contributors and resistance fighters inside the firewall, being one of the most influential Chinese accounts on the platform X. They collected testimonies and stories of human rights abuses behind the wall, shared them daily with millions globally, and faced threats from the CCP simultaneously.
Their American friends were engaged in creating films, talk shows, and various art forms to raise awareness about human rights abuses. In Japan and South Korea, their friends were establishing cultural and creative enterprises emphasizing resistance to the CCP as a way of life.
Kia stated that the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic made her realize that despite economic advancements, the fundamental nature of the CCP has remained unchanged for the past 35 years.
In November 2022, a massive fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, triggered a global wave of vigils and protests to commemorate the victims.
In response to the tragedy, Kia and her friends organized a vigil in front of the Columbia University library. Despite initial online outreach indicating a modest turnout, they were astonished by the presence of not just 10 or 100 but 300 attendees that evening.
As a student of social sciences, Kia believed that societal change begins with a shift in citizens’ mindset. Many vocal advocates of the White Paper Movement in China are individuals who received education overseas.
However, some of Kia’s friends who participated in protests faced various forms of cross-border repression from the CCP.
One friend, Ava, was violently attacked shortly after delivering a speech—one unidentified individual claiming to be a Columbia University student hit her in the face. Another friend and co-organizer, Chris, was interrogated by CCP authorities upon returning to China last year.
Witnesses emphasized the need for the U.S. government to provide a secure environment for overseas Chinese individuals resisting the CCP.
Zhou Fengsuo suggested that the U.S. Congress investigate agreements between American tech companies and the CCP. He pointed out the challenges faced by movements like the White Paper and Tiananmen commemorations due to strict online censorship linked to active collaborations between U.S. companies and the CCP. For example, during the White Paper Movement, individuals used Apple’s Airdrop technology to disseminate information about the Four Warrior Heroes of the Bridge, including Peng Liyuan, before the service was abruptly shut down.
Yang Ruohui recommended stringent regulations from the U.S. government on CCP proxies operating internationally, suggesting restrictions or even bans on activities carried out under the guidance of foreign governments.
Kia proposed the following: 1. The U.S. government should compel the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) within American campuses to disclose their funding sources. She highlighted that while CSSA provided a sense of community for newly arrived Chinese students in the U.S., many members received funding from Chinese consulates and served as eyes for consulate identification and suppressing pro-democratic student movements.
2. It was suggested that universities establish campus task forces against cross-border repression.