Prestigious Chinese Writer and Historian Declares his Heartfelt Support for Falun Gong at a London Rally

On June 5th, a rally entitled “Support two million people’s withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party” was held in London. Mr. Xin Haonian, a prestigious writer and historian, gave a speech at the rally. The following is an excerpt from his speech.

Mr. Xin Haonian delivered a speech in the rally.

I don’t think I am going to say too much today. I would like to start with asking a question. Many American and Chinese friends have been asking me, “As a scholar who lives in the U.S., why do you support Falun Gong?” The answer is very simple. My reply has been, “Because I share the same fate as Falun Gong practitioners.”

Falun Gong practitioners have no freedom of belief or freedom to practise exercises in their homeland. As a Chinese intellectual and scholar, I don’t have freedom of research or thought. I don’t have freedom of expression or publication. As long as what I want to say contradicts the requirements of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I will lose the rights of speech and publication. From this standpoint, my fate is the same as Falun Gong practitioners.

Another aspect is that Falun Gong is a faith group, but Falun Gong practitioners have no freedom of association. Under the CCP’s control, nobody in China has freedom of association. As a scholar and intellectual, I don’t have the freedom to set up any research unit to study the cultural issues that may interest many people. This explains why an ordinary scholar like me wants to support Falun Gong practitioners. It is because we share the same fate.

The second question that people frequently ask me is, “Not only do you provide support to Falun Gong practitioners, you also admire them very much. Why is that?” The answer is straightforward. Ever since the CCP began their full-scale control of people’s thought and culture in 1949, many of us, including myself, did not dare to uphold freedoms of thought and belief, or safeguard our responsibility for the nation and the people against the CCP. We did not dare to contend with the CCP, but allowed ourselves to be trampled upon. After more than fifty years under the CCP’s ruling, the soul as well as the behaviour of intellectuals in several generations has been distorted by the communist party.

Right at this moment, a group of people called Falun Gong practitioners showed up in China. They practise exercises to strengthen their physical bodies and hold steadfast to their beliefs. Not only do they have the courage to believe, they also own their beliefs. Not only do they own the beliefs, they have the courage to contend for their beliefs. Not only do they have the courage to contend for their beliefs, they also risk their lives and use their will power to uphold their beliefs. In the face of the various kinds of brutal suppression that the CCP has been executing in the past forty years, there are so many Falun Gong practitioners who are willing to disregard their own lives to struggle and safeguard their beliefs. Don’t you think that these Falun Gong practitioners deserve admiration and support from an intellectual like me? I think the answer is yes. And it holds true in my mother country as well as to all the people in the world who cherish equality, peace and freedom.

Thirdly, millions of Falun Gong practitioners, no matter whether they are still struggling steadfastly in China or have obtained freedom on foreign soils, are using their will power and their faith to do the same thing opposing the political party that has persecuted them. From there, they have moved to oppose this autocratic fascist party that enslaves, suppresses and persecutes the Chinese people. I consider this a remarkable progression. It indicates that the Chinese people have started to awaken from fifty years’ of painful struggle. They have finally awakened without any hesitation.

At this moment, Falun Gong practitioners preach that the CCP’s members withdraw from this autocratic fascist party. Is it right? Surely, it is. This is a very peaceful and rational movement. This movement has encouraged those communist party members who have awakened but didn’t quit the party because of cowardice or fear of persecution, so that they can discard and withdraw from the party. This movement has led the Chinese people to side with the Chinese nation again. It has re-aligned the Chinese people with the appeal for equality and freedom. It has caused the Chinese people to recognise the standpoint of re-establishing a new China. What can be wrong with it? I think the appeal for withdrawing from the CCP is perfectly right.

All that I am longing for is that Falun Gong practitioners can carry on their dedication more widely and sturdily in their endeavours and in promoting withdrawal from the CCP. I hope they can continue their peaceful approach and contribute their efforts to save the Chinese people from the autocratic ruling, and lead them to democracy and science tomorrow.

Thank you, Falun Gong practitioners.