San Francisco, Calif. (Nov. 15, 2023) — Today, the Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), and the Uyghur American Association (UAA) co-organized a direct action at the San Francisco consulate of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) concurrent to PRC leader Xi Jinping’s meeting with President Joe Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Coordination (APEC) summit.

Hong Konger, Tibetan, and Uyghur community members attended the protest alongside other allies. The action was held to draw attention to the PRC government’s oppressive policies in Hong Kong, Tibet, and East Turkestan. Today’s protest follows another action at the San Francisco airport on Nov. 14 to “unwelcome” Xi Jinping as he arrived in the US for APEC.

HKDC, SFT, and UAA issue the following additional statements.

From HKDC’s Executive Director, Anna Kwok:

“As Xi arrives in San Francisco, our coalition is ready to protest against Xi’s dictatorship and remind the world of the sufferings the Chinese Communist Party has inflicted on millions of lives. From relentless political repression in Hong Kong to transnational repression around the world, Xi desires to globalize his dictatorship. Despite having received threats to hunt me down, I walk with our people today to alert the world of his atrocious ambitions. Walk with us today.”

From SFT’s Executive Director, Pema Doma:

“Amidst this pivotal US-China exchange, President Biden must bring human rights to the forefront of today’s bilateral talks or risk further escalating the dire state of fundamental freedoms for those under Xi’s leadership. In the past six years since Xi Jinping’s last visit to the United States, Xi’s failed leadership has cost millions of lives, and also resulted in the separation of over one million Tibetan children as young as four from their families. Both President Biden and the wider business community attending APEC must acknowledge and address the growing concerns of millions living under Xi’s iron fist. Hundreds of us and our allies have gathered today to remind Xi that his time is up and that the people are rising.”

From UAA’s President, Elfidar Iltebir:

“We are gathered here today to send President Biden a message. We want him to not just talk about human rights, but take specific actions: demand China release Uyghurs from concentration camps, condition US trade with China on its improvement of human rights in East Turkestan, Tibet, and Hong Kong, and not make concessions to China until it allows Uyghur families to unite and live freely.”