WASHINGTION—In the Rayburn Building U.S. House of Representatives at a press conference on July 30, representatives of several China pro-democracy and freedom non-governmental organizations condemned the violent attack on Baiqiao Tang, a China pro-democracy activist. Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) sent his senior Legislative Assistant Autumn Morley to represent him at the press conference.
The purpose of the press conference was to awaken the public and alert law enforcement in the U.S.—Justice Department, F.B.I., the Congress, Homeland Security—to illegal activities being allegedly conducted by the People’s Republic of China within the shores of the United States, and that the violence towards free expression common in China is being transplanted to America.
The attack on Mr. Tang took place on July 6 in Flushing, New York, which is a Chinatown in the Queens section of New York City. The attack on Mr. Tang is under investigation by law enforcement and the F.B.I. and the perpetrators have not been identified or caught, according to Tang.
“I never expected one day I would be attacked in America, began Mr. Tang at the press conference. “I knew the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] was very bad, evil, but I didn’t expect an attack [in America].”
Tang was at the Hollywood Karaoke Bar, according to the China Support Network, and said he anticipated something was going to happen, and so he said he did not drink alcoholic beverages, only water at the restaurant. He called 911 even before the assault began and then twice afterward. He said at least three men, perhaps several more, started punching him, injuring his nose, and eye, and hand. Mr. Tang’s left hand was still in a cast at the news event.
Baiqiao Tang was a student at the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 and was imprisoned for a couple of years for his participation. He was exiled to the United States where he obtained political asylum. Tang has strongly denounced the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and early on, has been an ardent supporter of the “Tuidang” movement of renouncing one’s association with the Communist Party and its affiliated organizations, and distributing the editorial series, the Nine Commentaries, which were published by The Epoch Times in 2004.
“I resist [CCP violence], not only for myself, but for all the dissidents, Falun Gong practitioners…, all the people of this country to be free, everyone has freedom of speech, [and should be able to] express their views,” said Tang.
Several of the leaders of the China pro-democracy movement who spoke at the hearing linked the attack on Tang with his close association with Falun Gong and the “Tuidang” movement (renouncing the CCP), which was initiated by Falun Gong practitioners.
The hateful environment in Flushing, New York was evident the year before, said Dr. Wenyi Wang, supervisor of Global Service Center for Quitting the Chinese Communist Party. “On May 17 [2008], Falun Gong practitioners were in front of the library in Flushing [for collecting names to quit the CCP], when suddenly several hundred people, a mob, showed up. They were waving red flags, yelling at the Falun Gong practitioners, and later physical attacks resulted. At least 22 were arrested from that incident,” Dr. Wang said.
Shortly before the attack, Tang had given an interview to The Epoch Times on the role that Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSA) play in being used by the Communist regime as spy agencies (see “Chinese Regime Directs Student Associations to Buy Off American ‘China Experts’”.
Mr. Tang fearful
Mr. Tang expressed some frustration in convincing others that the attack on him was planned and executed by Chinese communist agents in the U.S. The police, F.B.I. and Homeland Security still “do not believe 100 percent” that the attack was from the CCP, he said.
“I am confident the CCP did this to me,” Tang said. There was no reason for anyone else to beat him, he explained. “We have a lot of evidence on the truth of the CCP, but I don’t want to affect the investigation. I can’t say much more, or give too much detail.”
Tang told some details regarding the attack that showed he had good reason to fear. As an ambulance took him to the hospital for his wounds—he was bleeding profusely in the face and hand—he observed that they were being followed. He told this to the driver and his assistant, who didn’t believe him. So, he challenged them to turn three times and see if the vehicle behind does the same. If it does, he said, “then it’s proof that we are being followed.” The ambulance turned 3 or 4 times as did the vehicle behind them. Now the ambulance driver and associate became scared too, said Tang.
Tang discussed his fear when arranging for transportation to take him home after spending one night at the hospital. He said that he didn’t dare call a Chinese cab, which he would normally do; those cab numbers are stored conveniently on his mobile phone. Instead, he had an American nurse at the hospital place the call for him. Tang explained his actions had two reasons: First, he said his phone could be tapped by the CCP. Second, a Chinese cab driver in Flushing might be bribed by the CCP, whereas that would not likely happen with other cab drivers in his situation.
“I will not go out of my apartment until something changes, until the American Justice Department pays attention, to try to protect us…that’s what I want,” said Tang. He said he came to the news conference “to make his voice louder” so that law enforcement will pay more attention to him, Falun Gong practitioners, and all dissidents.
“Mr. Tang’s activities and close association with the Falun Gong group aroused the attention of the Chinese Communist [regime] and he has been closely followed,” said Jintao Cao, Chairman of Chinese Coalition for Citizens Rights, at the news conference. “He received death threats a number of times and he told me before that the Chinese [regime] has been trying to have one of his arms or legs for tens of thousands of dollars.”
Attack shows CCP is weakening
The leaders of the China pro-democracy NGOs who spoke at the news conference saw this attack on Mr. Tang as part of their own struggle with the CCP for making China free and democratic.
“I would like to emphasize that [the assault] did not happen on mainland China controlled by the CCP but happened in New York, in America…, said Guahua Liu, Chief of US Guardian Association.
“The infiltration in America by the Chinese Communist [regime] has reached a shocking extent... The purpose of the Chinese Communist [regime] is to organize the Chinese people in America to strike America. They train members to attack America,” said Liu. He warned that it would be a mistake for us to adopt a “lenient attitude” regarding these acts.
Liu had no doubt in his mind that this matter was “master-minded by the Chinese [regime].” He said: “The purpose is to crackdown on those who stand up against the dictatorship and tyranny of the Chinese Communist government, on the Falun Gong people, and those who fight for freedom.”
Dr. Dayong Li, Co-founder and Chairman of the Global Service Center, was host for this news conference and announced that nearly 60 million Chinese people had denounced the CCP, its Communist Youth League and its Young Pioneers. Dr. Li said he was confident that the response to the CCP attacks, whether it be on Mr. Tang in America or in Xinjiang, will only get “stronger and stronger.” “The situation to disintegrate the Communist Party gets better and better,” he said.
“China Communist [regime] is an equal opportunity repressor of all religious and ethnic groups,” said Alim Seytoff, Vice President, Uyghur American Association. “It doesn’t matter if you are Han Chinese, Falun Gong, [from the] underground church, a dissident, a democrat, you are persecuted.” Seytoff said that Uyghurs happen to be Moslems, so the CCP calls them “terrorists,” using America’s 9/11 tragedy as the pretext. Tibetans are called “separatists” and he could have added that Falun Gong adherents are called “subversives.”
Seytoff worries that the Chinese regime continues to detain thousands of Uyghurs and is threatening to execute Uyghur protestors.
“All those people who want truth, justice, peace, democracy and human rights are attacked in China,” said Seytoff. He stressed the importance of uniting, and “peacefully” exposing the lies and deceptions of the Chinese Communist Party.
Professor Yanjun Sun, Capital Normal University, resigned from the CCP in January and in retaliation, the CCP has been harassing his elderly parents residing in China. Dr. Sun had a warning for those who do the work of the CCP. Speaking through a translator, Dr. Sun foresees the destruction of the CCP coming:
“The fact that Dr. Tang has been targeted by the Communist Party indicates that Chinese Communist regime is about to fall,” said Dr. Sun. He continued prophetically: “Whatever racial hatred you instigate or plan Mafia-style assassination, whatever power you show-off or make lies, will not change your fate—that the CCP dictatorship of power will collapse. Crimes committed against the righteous power will destroy any hope that you will have for your future”
“Only by dissolving the organization of the CCP can we reestablish [conscience], save China, and make contributions to mankind,” said Dr. Sun.
Read more on the Flushing Violence.
