An "April 25 Appeal" in Paris

France was the first stop for the founder of Falun Gong, Master Li Hongzhi, on his overseas lecture tour. Mr. Cheng, a Chinese Kampuchean living in Paris, found out about the lectures from Nouvelles D'europe in 1995. He and his family became Master Li's first students in Paris. Four years later, when ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners appealed in Beijing on April 25, 1999, Mr. Cheng went to the Chinese Embassy in Paris to appeal the next day.

Mr. Cheng, a Falun Gong practitioner in Paris

Mr. Cheng and his siblings own several jewellery stores in Paris. However, financial wellbeing could not guarantee physical wellbeing. His nephew had a serious disease for which no cure has yet been found. They had been looking for a good Qigong Master to save the child. Upon hearing about Master Li's upcoming lectures in 1995, Mr. Cheng and his family attended them in Paris.

Mr. Cheng's stubborn back pain disappeared after he started cultivating Falun Dafa. Following Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, his view of the world completely changed. He was no longer blinded by self-interest. He often flew back to China and joined Falun Gong practitioners for experience sharing.

Mr. Cheng heard from a friend in China that many Falun Gong practitioners went to Beijing to appeal on behalf of the arrested, innocent Falun Gong practitioners in Tianjin on April 25, 1999. Mr. Cheng trusted the Chinese government and went to the Chinese Embassy in Paris to tell them how much he had benefited from Falun Gong. He hoped that the government would understand Falun Gong and make a good decision.

He and more than 30 other Falun Gong practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy to France on April 26, 1999. Their request was simple and sincere: allow Falun Gong practitioners to continue their cultivation. A secretary in the Chinese Embassy spoke to them warmly and promised to send their words to the higher-ups. To their surprise, the peaceful "April 25 Appeal" was distorted and used as a pretext for the persecution of Falun Gong. The door of the Chinese Embassy has been shut to Falun Gong practitioners ever since. Mr. Cheng has joined other practitioners at the Eiffel Tower to expose the Chinese Communist Party's persecution.