Jim Geheran
Jan.5, 2010

As I move around Capitol Hill, I often hear the mantra that the Chinese people do not care about democracy.  That it is the nature of Chinese people to need an authoritarian government, such as the one they now have. An obvious problem with this hypothesis is I doubt it has ever been validated by the Chinese people themselves.   Nonetheless, for those readers who may lean in this direction, I urge them to consider the following story of Feng Zhenghu and the remarks of his fellow citizen, Yang Jianli.  Feng’s situation is similar to the hundreds of thousands of selfless acts of courage by ordinary Chinese citizens which take place every year.  Please keep in mind that the actions and the quoted words below are those of Chinese citizens directed toward their fellow countrymen.

His name, Feng Zhenghu.  Mr. Feng is a lawyer who, like many thousands of other Chinese, is blocked by his government from returning home to China. He has never been charged with any crime.  His work is to defend the rights of his fellow citizens.  On November 3, 2009, Mr. Feng was denied entry into China for the eighth time since June, 2009.  He was forcibly put on a plane back to Japan by Chinese authorities in Shanghai.  He decided that he could no longer tolerate the Chinese government’s intimidating practice of denying it citizens the right to enter their own country.  Upon landing in Japan, he voluntarily surrendered his Japanese visa and vowed to stay in the terminal outside the customs area until the Chinese authorities recognize his right to return home to his family.  He remains there to this day, surviving on handouts from Chinese supporters flying from as far away as Australia.  On Christmas Eve, Harvard Fellow and President of Initiatives for China, Dr. Yang Jianli, flew to Japan to present the Freedom Pioneer Award to Feng.  The award is given each year by the New York based Chinese magazine, Beijing Spring, to a Chinese citizen whose actions exemplify the struggle for freedom.  Below are the words spoken on December 26 by Dr. Yang, a Chinese citizen and former recipient of the Freedom Pioneer Award, as he presented the award to Feng.

“On behalf of Beijing Spring Magazine, I am deeply honored to present the 2009 “Freedom Pioneer” Award to Mr. Feng Zhenghu here at Terminal One, Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan.

Feng Zhenghu is a great citizen of China. With extraordinary determination and perseverance, he is trail-blazing a path for thousands of Chinese people to return to their homeland. His heroic action has moved his fellow citizens and has set an example for the world.

For a long time, the Chinese Communist regime has used “patriotism” as a shield to hide its failures rather than protect its citizens.  Feng Zhenghu’s bold stand here at Narita Airport clearly shows that the Chinese government cannot accept a real patriotic citizen like Feng Zhenghu, whose actions show a most fervent love towards China and his fellow citizens.

Feng is clearly aware of his rights, which he  persistently defends. He recognizes that the fight for his rights is a fight for all the citizens of autocratic China. He has exemplified for us all how to become true citizens under a tyranny where people have no rights and little dignity.  The arbitrary conduct of the Chinese Communist authority in dealing with Mr. Feng’s case, reveals its weakness and lack of confidence.  As the CCP  beomes ever more estranged from its people, its fear increases.  It regards any citizen’s action in defense of his or her rights as the last straw that may break the camel’s back. It, therefore, acts ever more harshly against it citizens.  The Chinese authorities are more aware than others of its frailty and its alienation from its own people.  The international society would do well to follow the Chinese authority’s example and pay more attention to Chinese citizens and their struggle for a just society.  This struggle will prevail.

If we Chinese want regain our rights, our dignity, and our freedom to live our lives according to our conscience and our traditions, we ought to follow citizen Feng’s footsteps. He is a real citizen, not a tyranny’s helper, not a thug, not a slave, but a real citizen. With such citizens as Feng Zhenghu, we Chinese have power and China has hope.”

Harvard Democracy Adovocate Flies To Tokyo Airport To Join “Blacklisted” Human Rights Lawyer

Arrival of Dr. Yang Jianli marks 7th “airlift” of support and supplies for Chinese lawyer stranded in Japanese customs area since November 4.

Washington, DC., December 24, 2009. Dr. Yang Jianli, Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and President of Initiatives for China, will land at Terminal 1 of Tokyo’s Narita International Airport at 3:30pm, December 26 (Tokyo time) to join Chinese Human Rights lawyer, Mr. Feng Zhenghu, who has been stranded there since November 4. A Chinese citizen, Mr. Feng was forcibly returned to Japan after he was refused entry into China on November 3.

Chinese authorities have blocked Feng from entry China eight times since June 2nd, 2009.  During his last attempt on November 3, 2009, Chinese authorities stopped him at Shanghai Airport and physically forced him onto a flight back to Japan. Upon arriving in Japan, he voluntarily gave up his Japanese visa. He remains at Narita Airport, a man between two countries, and relies on supplies from supporters who are flying in from Hong Kong and other countries. To date, Initiatives for China has organized seven flights on which supporters bring supplies and encouragement to Mr. Feng.<BR>
“This is a clear violation of  Article 13 paragraph 2  of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees citizens the right to return to return to their countries,” said Dr. Yang. “This illegal practice by the Chinese government denies thousands of citizens, such as Mr. Feng and myself, from ever returning to our homeland.” Mr. Feng has vowed to remain at the Terminal until Chinese authorities grant his right to return home.

Mr. Feng is a well known human rights lawyer who has published many articles on the need for political reform in China.  He is one of the original signatories to Charter 08. The Charter called for specific legal and social reforms of the Chinese government, including the right of return and a return to the rule of law in China.  Most recently, Mr. Feng visited Washington, DC as a delegate to the Fifth Interethnic/Interfaith Leadership Conference sponsored by Initiatives for China and funded by the National Endowment for Democracy.  The Conference promotes cooperation and respect between the various ethnic and religious groups of China. The Chinese government typically violates the right of its citizens to return home as a means of silencing politically undesirable individuals.

During his planned 3-day visit with Mr. Feng, Dr. Yang plan will hold a press conference and a webcast to galvanize support for Mr. Feng and to create awareness of Chinese government’s policy of “blacklisting” it citizens. Dr. Yang will also present Mr. Feng with the “Freedom Pioneer” Award. Awarded by Beijing Spring Magazine, A New York based pro democracy publication, this award regonizes individuals on the forefront of the Struggle for democracy in China. In 2007, Dr. Yang was the first receipient of this award.

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Initiatives for China advocates for a peaceful transition to democracy in China through education, advancement of citizen power, and development of cooperation and understanding among all the peoples of China.