More than 50 democratic and Chinese groups and The Epoch Times will hold a march for democracy and freedom on April 23 in New York City to advocate for more than 1 million withdrawals from the Chinese Communist Party.

Li Guotao a democratic activist from Shanghai, China, offered support for the march, and considers it to have significance for those who hope to see a democratic China.

"I feel this activity in New York is very meaningful," he said recently. "My friends in Shanghai and I talked about it a few days ago. We were all very supportive. I believe this large-scale march will receive strong support from democratic countries and those who wish to see China move toward democracy."

Li joined the ranks of those who have withdrawn from the CCP with the following statement: "I solemnly declare my withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party, the China Youth League and the Young Pioneers Team. I was deceived by the CCP when I was young and joined the Young Pioneers and CYL. As I grew older, I stopped associating with these groups but never formally withdrew. I now do so."

"I was confused and deceived by the CCP when I was young. I joined in 1973. Because I participated in the democratic movement in 1989 and the human rights movement in 1990, the CCP removed my membership in Oct 1994. I was no longer a party member. In fact, I was against the CCP and its cult ideology in the 1980s. I didn't spontaneously declare my withdrawal. I vowed before I joined the party. Now I solemnly declare to void my vow and thoroughly dissociate from the CCP and forever leave the CCP and communism.

"At the same time, I hope to use this opportunity to give the CCP's high-level officials and members a bit of advice: They should clearly understand the direction of civil development and thoroughly abandon the CCP and dissociate from the communist cult."

Li Guotao, April 17, 2005

The withdrawal movement, which has seen nearly 1 million participants since November, has significant actual meaning as well as deep historical meaning in working to break down world communism. The movement will also have an effect on small communist countries such as Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam and can help them to peacefully transform to democracy.