Survivor of Mao’s China Warns UD Students About ‘American Cultural Revolution’

'The same thing is repeating here': Chinese-American activist, author

Activist Xi Van Fleet (Front, middle) with attendees at the TPUSA seminar, "Xi Van Fleet: Survivor of Communist China," at the University of Delaware, on May 1, 2023. (Lily Sun/ The Epoch Times)

NEWARK, Del.—After being rejected by a Christian university, Chinese-American activist Xi Van Fleet received a warm welcome from students at the University of Delaware (UD) as she shared her story of growing up in China during Mao’s cultural revolution.

On May 1, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) held a seminar titled “Xi Van Fleet: Survivor of Communist China” at UD’s Gore Hall.  Nearly 30 students came to hear Van Fleet talk about China’s disastrous cultural revolution, a disaster that Xi says could happen here in America.

Van Fleet began her talk by saying that she had just returned from Washington state, where the TPUSA chapter at Whitworth University, a Christian university, had invited her to speak. However, its student government voted against Xi’s speech, claiming that she holds “harmful views.”

“In today’s America, free speech is dying ... It takes courage for people to speak but also takes courage for people to listen to speakers,” Van Fleet said.

Chinese-American activist Xi Van Fleet gives a seminar at Gore Hall, at the University of Delaware, on May 1, 2023. (May Lin/ The Epoch Times)

The 64-year-old Van Fleet has committed herself to educating the American people about the horrors of communism. She has also been outspoken about the dangers of critical race theory (CRT), the “woke” revolution, and the threat they pose to the United States.

She explained how she came to speak out. “I could just relax and retire and just forget about politics. Why do I want to get involved?” she told the audience.

“I saw the danger of losing this country. And that’s why I’m getting involved. I’m so glad you are also getting involved, just by learning a little more about what happened in China, which is exactly what’s going on here in America. That’s why I was so concerned.”

Van Fleet emphasized: “I’m fighting for you guys, for the young people.”

Her book, “Mao’s America: A Survivor’s Warning“ will be published and released in October.

‘Very Moving and Powerful, and Extremely Sad’

Steven Newman, a junior computer science major, told The Epoch Times that he appreciated Van Fleet’s speech. “It was very moving and powerful, and extremely sad,” he said.

Newman said: “I found it honestly extremely sad to see just how far China had to fall in terms of the social structure. And it was just so sad to see that this thing is happening right now in the U.S., and it’s a lot closer than I realized it ever would be.

“I’ve seen already where people have been forcing us to accept people for their gender, even if it’s not their actual gender. And I can see how this can turn into complete anarchy where people are going to start being prosecuted for their viewpoints, just like in China. It breaks my heart to see this.”

Steven Newman, a junior at the University of Delaware, attended the seminar, entitled “Xi Van Fleet: Survivor of Communist China” at Gore Hall, University of Delaware on May 1, 2023. (May Lin/ The Epoch Times)

Newman shared stories from his friends from other college campuses.

“If they say they identify as a woman, even though they are a biological man, they will force you to identify them as a woman. Or the SGA, the Student Government Association, will penalize you negatively through reprimand,” Newman said.

In response, Newman said that as a student, action needs to be taken. He is in the process of starting a chapter of Young Americans for Liberty on the UD campus. He said, “We want to focus on Second Amendment rights and First Amendment rights because we believe that the Second Amendment is necessary to protect the First Amendment.”

‘Very Enlightening’

Yannick Nguenkam, a third-year electrical engineering student at UD, told The Epoch Times that Xi Van Fleets’ speech was “amazing ... very good, very enlightening, 100 percent.” He said he felt “the significance of hearing the truth.”

Nguenkam said he can connect what’s happening in China with what’s happening in the United States.

Yannick Nguenkam, a junior at the University of Delaware, attended the seminar on May 1, 2023. (May Lin/ The Epoch Times)

“I can understand objectively the actual parallels of what took place back then, versus what’s happening now, and the relevance, if you will, of being able to highlight that not only for ourselves but for the people we care about around us.”

He called what is happening in America “the destruction of religion and the destruction of the church.”

Nguenkam said he intends to spread what he learned from Van Fleet: “Just talking to people. I think word of mouth is the most important. Because it shows warm connections that actually count.”

‘History They Never Learned in School’

After her speech, Van Fleet told The Epoch Times: “I’m really happy for the turnout. That’s my dream: to talk to young people, because they are the future of this country. And we depend on them to understand what’s going on, and to be willing to fight back to save this country.”

Van Fleet said her rejection by Whitworth University was a first for her, but she does not intend to give up. “I don’t think this will be my last time, and I’m prepared to be rejected. But again, I’m not gonna give up. I’m going to continue.” 

Despite not being able to speak on campus at the Spokane college, Van Fleet held an off-campus seminar on April 27, attended by people, including students, professors, local residents, and parents, “who came all the way from Seattle to hear my speech.”

“People want to hear my view,” Van Fleet said. “My story is important [because] my story is about what happened before, and the same thing is repeating here.”

“People need to know this is not something new. It is how it happened before. And if we don’t understand it, we don’t stop it, we'll get the same result as in China, with the whole society completely destroyed,” she added.

Van Fleet said that she plans “to go anywhere and talk to anybody.” She wants to educate Americans about “the history that they never learned in school. And [that] too many people still don’t know. That is, the history of the Chinese Communist Party and the cultural revolution that we all endured in China.”

Van Fleet sees hope in the participation and enthusiasm of the students at the University of Delaware. She said: “I always tell people, we are the hope. If we don’t do anything, we’re going to lose the war. To see so many young people come to the event makes me very hopeful.”

May Lin contributed to the report.