On February 9, Sunday afternoon, Los Angeles Chinese held a commemorative gathering in front of the Chinese Consulate to remember the lives lost to the CCP virus (COVID-19) that has taken a toll on countless lives worldwide, hitting the Chinese people especially hard. Not only did the Chinese endure the shock waves of the pandemic outbreak, but they also suffered immense life, health, and economic losses over the course of three years due to the arbitrary lockdowns imposed by the CCP. Five years have passed, how do overseas Chinese view this pandemic?
At the gathering, banners were displayed with messages such as “Eliminate the CCP, Restore our human rights” and “Commemorate the fifth anniversary of Dr. Li Wenliang’s murder, protest the CCP’s virus warfare,” alongside over a dozen portraits of Dr. Li Wenliang. Participants took the stage to reflect on the tragic experiences, as well as rationally trace the reasons behind the rampant spread of the virus. Dr. Li Wenliang, who died on February 7, 2020, was still a key term in the speeches.
Visual Artists Guild President Liu Yaya, in her speech, recounted the ordeal Dr. Li Wenliang faced after publicly discussing the outbreak for the first time during his lifetime. She emphasized the importance of freedom of speech in the public health domain, stating that without freedom of speech, issues like the cover-up of the coronavirus epidemic could occur. She stressed that the lack of freedom of speech in China led to a global disaster and highlighted the necessity of allowing people to speak freely.
Chang Kun from mainland China expressed during his speech: “The tragedy of five years ago reminds us that under authoritarian rule, information censorship and speech control can easily lead a nation to disaster.” He emphasized how the global pandemic of COVID-19 was a direct result of the CCP’s concealment of the truth and suppression of whistleblowers.
He said, “If Dr. Li Wenliang’s warning had been taken seriously, the world could have had more time to prepare, avoiding countless deaths. However, under the CCP system, government power takes precedence over everything; the lives, rights, and freedoms of the people are not valued at all.”
The gathering also attracted some young students.
Sun Haoyu, a student at the University of Southern California, recalled the “Blank Paper Movement” that erupted towards the end of the pandemic lockdown period: “I still remember the faces of those who silently protested holding blank papers. Among them were my friends, my comrades, and numerous people I had never seen but who also believed in justice and dignity.”
The Blank Paper Movement sparked responses in several cities across China, putting huge pressure on the authorities, ultimately forcing them to abandon their extreme epidemic control policies. However, the CCP then “settled scores later,” arresting a large number of young participants.
“This regime responds to the people’s demands with an iron fist. It does not allow dissent, it is afraid of the truth. It wants us to become compliant slaves,” Sun Haoyu said. “Does this country still have a healthy society? Is there freedom? No. What remains is a dictatorship that is maintained by lies and fear, treating people like cattle.”
Wang Chenlong, a graduate student in the United States, said in an interview, “The CCP’s policies change at the drop of a hat, today one way, tomorrow another.” He found it ridiculous how the CCP attacked Dr. Li Wenliang during the outbreak, then praised him after his death, using him as a stability maintenance tool.
Organizer Jielijian stated that the CCP virus has caused immense losses to the Chinese people and the world, yet the authorities continue to cover up the truth and must be held accountable.
“Today, we commemorate Li Wenliang in the hope that everyone will become a courageous whistleblower against the ‘dark and evil’ CCP,” he said. “When everyone becomes a whistleblower, exposing the CCP’s evil to the world and making it known to more people, it will also be the moment of the CCP’s demise.” ◇