Table of contents
1.Reports from media outlets such as The Epoch Times
1. 《从反送中到走线 原深圳健身教练的抗共之路”From Anti-Extradition to Alignment: The Road to Anti-Communism of Former Shenzhen Fitness Coaches” 》https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/6/14/n14016183.htm
2.《旅美反共人士国内亲人遭警骚扰 儿子受惊吓“Family Members of Anti-CCP Activist in the U.S. Harassed by Police in China; Son Frightened”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/16/n14075238.htm
3.《华人：法轮功是我的良师益友 ——纪念法轮功四二五和平上访25周年集会上发言“Chinese Speaker: Falun Gong Is My Good Teacher and Helpful Friend — Speech at the Rally Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the April 25 Peaceful Appeal”》https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/4/21/n14230829.htm
4.《疫情再起 走線華人：我相信這是天滅中共——陳偉傑對共產黨的話連一個標點都不信 從未染疫“Pandemic Resurges: Chinese Border Crosser Says, ‘I Believe This Is God Eliminating the CCP’ — Chen Weijie Says He Does Not Believe a Single Word from the Communist Party and Has Never Been Infected”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/23/8/29/n14063068.htm
5.《陳偉傑：大陸難民給台灣人民的信“Chen Weijie: A Letter from a Mainland Chinese Refugee to the People of Taiwan”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/1/12/n14156802.htm
6.《陳偉傑面臨遣返 外界憂中共藉美司法進行跨國鎮壓“Chen Weijie Faces Possible Deportation; Concerns Raised That the CCP May Use the U.S. Legal System for Transnational Repression”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/26/1/30/n14687285.htm
2.Mockery of Chen Weijie by pro-CCP online nationalists (CCP supporters)
3.Weijie Chen’s X(Twitter) Account
The Contents
1.Reports from media outlets such as The Epoch Times:
1. 《从反送中到走线 原深圳健身教练的抗共之路”From Anti-Extradition to Alignment: The Road to Anti-Communism of Former Shenzhen Fitness Coaches” 》https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/6/14/n14016183.htm
From the Anti-Extradition Movement to Crossing Borders: The Anti-CCP Journey of a Former Shenzhen Fitness Coach
Photo shows migrants, including children, crossing the Darién Gap in Panama in May 2023. (Provided by interviewee)
Updated: June 15, 2023, 4:24 AM | Views: 26,227
Tags: Fitness Coach, Anti-Extradition Movement, Heaven Will Destroy the CCP, Border Crossing
[Epoch Times, June 15, 2023] (Reported by Epoch Times journalist Li Yuanming)
“The place we are heading to may not be paradise, but the place we are escaping from is certainly hell.” Chen Weijie, a former fitness coach from Shenzhen who arrived in the United States this May via irregular migration routes, said he never plans to return to China unless Communist Party rule comes to an end.
Chen Weijie is from Fenyi County, Xinyu City, Jiangxi Province. His mother passed away when he was young. He left school after junior high and made a living selling goods on trains, later saving enough money to attend a vocational school. In 1999, shortly after graduating, his father died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Chen’s older brother’s family was persecuted for their religious beliefs by the Chinese authorities for many years; his brother and sister-in-law later passed away, leaving two orphaned children behind. Two daughters in his uncle’s family were also imprisoned multiple times and still dare not return home.
Chen recalls that in 1988, family planning officials demolished half of a newly built brick house jointly funded by his father and uncle while enforcing birth control policies. Even the pig his family had raised for the New Year was confiscated. He also heard of an incident in the village where officials allegedly forced a late-term pregnant woman to lose her baby violently. “After hearing such things as a child, I felt depressed for years living in that environment,” he said.
“I hate and fear the Communist Party. Many of my accounts on domestic apps were permanently banned. I could neither speak nor dare to speak anymore.” Chen said he had also been warned for using VPNs and told not to use overseas social media or “defame national leaders.”
A Mainland Chinese Participant in the Anti-Extradition Movement
As a child, Chen’s father arranged for him to learn martial arts. Later he developed a passion for fitness and maintained excellent physical condition. In 2018, he moved from Nanning, Guangxi, to Shenzhen to work as a fitness coach and occasionally traveled to Hong Kong to attend rehabilitation courses and teach classes related to physical maintenance and shoulder and neck health.
Photo of Chen Weijie working as a fitness coach in Shenzhen. (Provided by the interviewee.)
In 2019, the anti-extradition protests erupted in Hong Kong. Chen traveled there once a week, and whenever there were rallies in Victoria Park or Kowloon, he participated. “At that time, I had only one purpose: whatever the Communist Party didn’t want me to do, I would do.”
Seeing what he described as genuine freedom, democracy, and rule of law in Hong Kong deeply affected him. “I felt like I had lived decades without knowing the truth. Many things were completely different from what mainland news reported.” Since 2018, he had been using VPNs to access overseas information.
Photo showing a 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition protest march. Date unknown. (Provided by the interviewee.)
At rallies, some Hong Kong participants were wary of Mandarin speakers. Chen said he shouted slogans openly to make his stance clear. “The Hong Kong movement touched me more deeply than anything in my life. Whenever I hear ‘Glory to Hong Kong,’ I still cry.”
He participated in multiple protests, including the January 1, 2020 march. He described himself as part of the more confrontational front lines, wearing masks and protective gear, recalling tense moments when protesters narrowly avoided arrest as police advanced.
The Decision to Leave Amid Desperation
In January 2020, Chen returned to Jiangxi and later opened a hotel with friends in Xinyu. The business suffered heavy losses during the COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions and inspections. In August 2022, he took a job as a maintenance worker in Hezhou, Guangxi, but suffered a severe workplace accident, falling during welding work and spending 15 days in intensive care with a shattered femur.
While still recovering, he said he struggled to obtain compensation and felt ignored by various departments. After prolonged disputes, he climbed onto a government building rooftop to protest. Authorities later mediated a settlement of 180,000 yuan. He was detained overnight and required to provide biometric data including iris scans, DNA samples, gait records, and voice recordings.
During this time, Chen learned about migration routes to the United States through YouTube and decided to leave China. His first attempt to depart from Hangzhou Airport failed when border authorities stopped him. On his second attempt, he flew from Shenzhen to Beijing, then to Turkey, and eventually to Quito, Ecuador, where many migrants begin their journey north.
Photo of Chen Weijie with indigenous people near the Panama border. (Provided by the interviewee.)
A Life-and-Death Journey
From Ecuador, Chen traveled through the Darién Gap in Panama, describing it as extremely dangerous, especially given the metal plates and screws in his leg from surgery. He said the crossing took two days and three nights, during which he witnessed injuries and extreme hardship among migrants, including elderly people and families with children.
Along the journey, he shared food and supplies with others, saying his Christian faith motivated him to help those in greater need. He described encounters with theft, scams, and dangerous transportation situations throughout Central America and Mexico. In one incident, a boat carrying migrants capsized, resulting in one death.
Eventually, after traveling by bus through Mexico to Mexicali, he said smugglers escorted them toward the U.S. border. Upon crossing, U.S. border authorities processed them and transferred them to a migration facility.
Life in a Free Country
Chen said he felt respected upon arrival in the United States and would always remember May 15 as the day he entered the country. Because of his injury, he was released after one day and later began studying massage therapy in New York.
He described feeling freedom and happiness in daily life, appreciating what he viewed as affordable living costs and social support. “I have many skills — cooking, operating excavators, welding — yet in China I couldn’t support myself,” he said.
On June 2, he participated in a march in Manhattan commemorating the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, ending at the Chinese Consulate. He said that whenever he sees related content online, he shares it, hoping to contribute in whatever small way he can.
2.《旅美反共人士国内亲人遭警骚扰 儿子受惊吓“Family Members of Anti-CCP Activist in the U.S. Harassed by Police in China; Son Frightened”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/9/16/n14075238.htm
Family Members of Anti-CCP Activist in the U.S. Harassed by Police in China; Son Frightened
Chen Weijie’s family members in China were visited and harassed by police, and his son, frightened by the incident, blocked contact with him. The photo on the left shows Chen Weijie; the image on the right is a screenshot of a conversation between Chen and his son. (Provided by the interviewee)
Updated: September 17, 2023, 11:47 AM | Views: 12,623
Tags: Transnational Repression, State Apparatus, Long-Arm Jurisdiction, Human Rights Issues
[Epoch Times, September 17, 2023] (Reported by Epoch Times journalist Li Yuanming)
Chen Weijie, a young man from Jiangxi Province and a former fitness coach in Shenzhen, entered the United States in May this year. After actively participating in anti-CCP activities, he says his family members in China were harassed by police as part of what he describes as cross-border repression. His son, frightened by police visits, subsequently blocked him on social media.
Chen recently told The Epoch Times that as early as a month prior, local police had visited his hometown in Fenyi County, Jiangxi Province, to confirm whether he was staying there. He initially ignored the matter, but later his cousin informed him that officers had come looking for him.
Chen said his older brother died of cancer in 2019 due to lack of money for treatment, and his sister-in-law died in a traffic accident. His father passed away more than a decade ago, and his mother died when he was three years old. As a result, he said he has few remaining family ties.
After some time, police again approached the village committee to inquire about him. His cousin, who works as a women’s affairs director in the village committee, was reportedly asked to persuade him. Chat records provided by Chen show that she asked whether he had posted anything online and why police were asking about him.
The conversation suggested that his cousin did not fully understand his actions but expressed concern for him.
Screenshot of a conversation between Chen Weijie and his cousin. (Provided by the interviewee.)
“I spend most of my time away from home; they hardly know me,” Chen said. “I speak freely overseas, and they use my family to pressure me. This is a common tactic of the Communist Party.”
He said the situation made him feel disheartened. “She asked what I would do if we met face to face. I felt cold inside. She’s my family. How much propaganda have they been fed?”
A week earlier, police also visited and threatened his ex-wife. “We divorced in 2015. They frightened my ex-wife and child badly, and they immediately deleted and blocked me. My son is only 11 years old. I used to send them money every month. The image of the police in China is very frightening to them.”
Chen said he was also removed from his village WeChat group by local officials. His Chinese phone number, which still had credit and international roaming enabled, was reportedly suspended, preventing him from making calls or sending messages. “They mobilized all departments. This is the state apparatus being used,” he said.
Chen believes that because he publicly attended events in New York and accepted interviews under his real name, he became a target. “You cannot use normal logic to understand what the CCP thinks. They believe that as someone from China, you should praise them everywhere. A healthy government should accept criticism so it can improve.”
He said he does not intend to hide. “The police station, village committee, county and city public security bureaus are already watching me. What is there to fear about exposure?”
When the reporter called Qianshan Police Station in Chen’s hometown for comment, the officer initially suspected it was a scam call. After asking the reporter to wait, the officer later said they did not know Chen Weijie and hung up.
New Chinese immigrants welcomed Lai Ching-te outside a hotel in New York, holding signs reading “Defend the Beacon of Freedom” and “Chinese People Oppose the Invasion of Taiwan,” expressing the sentiments of people from mainland China. (Lin Dan / The Epoch Times)
Chen entered the United States on May 15 and participated in a June 4 commemoration march in New York on June 2. He has also joined activities in Flushing opposing what participants describe as CCP influence in U.S. communities and regularly attends exhibitions displaying images related to CCP history.
Since July, Chen and others have launched a campaign titled “Chinese People Oppose the Invasion of Taiwan,” collecting signatures online and offline to express opposition to military conflict and to convey that the CCP does not represent all Chinese people.
On August 12, during an event welcoming Taiwan Vice President William Lai’s transit through New York, Chen stood out in the crowd wearing an orange sports jacket and holding a sign reading “Defend the Beacon of Freedom.”
Previously, Chen had participated in the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition movement. He said that although he avoided identification at the time, a police officer from Xinyu later contacted him by phone, warning him not to use Twitter or post comments criticizing national leaders and asking him to sign a written guarantee.
Template of a written guarantee sent by a police officer surnamed Zhao. (Provided by the interviewee.)
“I spoke with the officer for one or two hours. When he couldn’t argue with me, he just tried to brush it off, saying China is too big and nothing can be changed,” Chen said.
He added that his ex-wife expressed similar views, asking what one individual could possibly change. “Maybe I can’t change anything, but can I live in my own way? Can I say what I want to say?”
Chen argued that economic pressure is the only way to weaken the CCP, suggesting that global economic disengagement would reduce its ability to maintain internal stability spending.
“What we are doing is consuming its stability-maintenance resources. I am just a snowflake, just a drop of water,” he said. “If everyone thinks nothing can change, then the CCP could rule for centuries. But if enough people stand up, things can change quickly.”
Chen said he plans to report the harassment to the New York Police Department and believes he stands on the side of justice.
Lawyer Calls for International Attention to Human Rights Issues
Cases of harassment of family members in China aimed at pressuring overseas activists have been reported for many years. U.S.-based human rights lawyer Wu Shaoping told The Epoch Times that the CCP views overseas opposition as a threat and uses long-arm tactics to discourage people abroad from speaking freely or exercising rights protected in democratic countries. Such actions, he said, violate U.S. law.
He added that the purpose is both to reduce international criticism and weaken domestic resistance.
Wu said that while some overseas Chinese feel intimidated, the international community does have leverage, as China remains economically and technologically dependent on global cooperation. He argued that Western countries’ focus on economic interests while neglecting human rights has contributed to the current situation.
He called on Western governments to prioritize human rights in dealings with China, warning that failure to do so risks strengthening authoritarian influence globally.
“Economic benefits are insignificant compared to freedom, democracy, and universal values,” Wu said. “If freedom is eventually undermined, those economic gains may also be lost.”
Editor in charge: Sun Yun
3.《华人：法轮功是我的良师益友 ——纪念法轮功四二五和平上访25周年集会上发言“Chinese Speaker: Falun Gong Is My Good Teacher and Helpful Friend — Speech at the Rally Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the April 25 Peaceful Appeal”》https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/4/21/n14230829.htm
Chinese Speaker: Falun Gong Is My Good Teacher and Helpful Friend
Speech at the Rally Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the April 25 Peaceful Appeal
On April 21, 2024, Chen Weijie, a Chinese participant who has withdrawn from the Chinese Communist Party, spoke at a rally commemorating the 25th anniversary of Falun Gong practitioners’ April 25 peaceful appeal. (Dai Bing / The Epoch Times)
Updated: April 27, 2024, 8:51 PM
Tags: Falun Gong, Withdrawal from the CCP, Chinese Community
[Epoch Times, April 22, 2024] (Reported by Epoch Times New York Bureau)
At noon on April 21, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners and supporters gathered in Flushing, New York, for a large parade and rally marking the 25th anniversary of the April 25 peaceful appeal. Participants called for ending what they described as the Chinese Communist Party’s 25-year persecution of Falun Gong. Chinese speaker Chen Weijie delivered remarks at the rally, saying that the words “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” can make the CCP fearful and serve as a powerful challenge to it. He called on Chinese people to distance themselves from the CCP. The following is his speech:
Today I will give a brief speech. My name is Chen Weijie, and I came to the United States last year. When I was in China, I witnessed the sincerity and kindness of Falun Gong practitioners and also saw the persecution they faced. This deeply touched and inspired me, and it was one of the reasons I chose to step forward. Falun Gong has been like a teacher and a good friend to me.
When I was in China, I wrote the words “Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are good” in many places because I believed it was the right thing to do and something that needed to be done. For safety reasons, I wrote with my left hand.
I know that Falun Gong is what the CCP fears most. Whatever the CCP fears most, I chose to do. So I wrote those words wherever I could. I believe these nine characters can make the CCP fearful and serve as a powerful way to oppose it. It was something simple that I could do when I felt unable to do other things. I am truly grateful to Falun Gong.
When I wrote those words, I was not afraid. At that time, my resentment toward the CCP had reached its peak because of what I had witnessed growing up.
If there was even something small I could do to resist it, how could I not do it?
For safety, I tried to choose places without surveillance cameras and wore a hat. I felt encouraged when I later saw stamps with the words “Falun Dafa is good” in parks; seeing them made me extremely excited.
Between 2017 and 2019, my handwriting could be found on stones, trees, and benches.
I believe that anyone who becomes even slightly associated with this evil should feel ashamed. To people in mainland China, I want to say: if you are clear-minded, I suggest you distance yourself from the CCP. Whatever way you can find to do so, the farther away you are, the better. One day the CCP will inevitably face international judgment. The farther you stay from it, the safer you will be. If you cannot leave China, then find other ways to protect yourself and keep your distance from it.
Editor: Li Yuan
4.《疫情再起 走線華人：我相信這是天滅中共——陳偉傑對共產黨的話連一個標點都不信 從未染疫“Pandemic Resurges: Chinese Border Crosser Says, ‘I Believe This Is Heaven Eliminating the CCP’ — Chen Weijie Says He Does Not Believe a Single Word from the Communist Party and Has Never Been Infected”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/23/8/29/n14063068.htm
Pandemic Resurges: Chinese Border Crosser Says, ‘I Believe This Is Heaven Eliminating the CCP’ — Chen Weijie Says He Does Not Believe a Single Word from the Communist Party and Has Never Been Infected
Chen Weijie said he believes the COVID-19 pandemic reflects what he describes as “Heaven eliminating the CCP.” The photo shows him on August 12 welcoming Taiwan Vice President Lai Ching-te during his transit through New York, expressing the sentiments of mainland Chinese who oppose the CCP and support Taiwan’s democracy and freedom. (Lin Dan / The Epoch Times)
Updated: August 29, 2023, 11:21 PM | Views: 3,430
Tags: CCP Virus, Anti-CCP, Chinese Border Crosser, New York, Chen Weijie
[Epoch Times, August 29, 2023] (Reported by Lin Dan, New York)
Chen Weijie, a Chinese migrant who arrived in the United States in May via irregular migration routes, said on August 28 that after reading The Epoch Times special report titled “Pandemic Resurges in China; Falun Gong Founder Says It Targets the Communist Party,” he believed the statements made by Li Hongzhi to be completely accurate.
Chen said he is someone who “does not believe a single punctuation mark in what the Communist Party says.” He added that during the pandemic in mainland China, he neither received any vaccine doses nor wore masks, yet he never contracted COVID-19, saying this put him “ahead of 99.9 percent of people.”
According to the special report cited, Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Gong, stated that the pandemic mainly targeted the Communist Party and those who follow and support it, and that many people, including young people, had died.
Chen, a former Shenzhen fitness coach who migrated to the United States via the border route, said he strongly believes the pandemic was directed against the CCP. “Whether the virus was created by the Communist Party or caused by it, in any case I believe it has turned back against the CCP. It is a manifestation of Heaven eliminating the CCP. I truly believe that.”
He described himself as an “exception” during the pandemic: “For three years of the pandemic, I did not receive a single vaccine dose, did not wear masks, and only took one PCR test, yet I was never infected.”
Chen said he has long distrusted the CCP and intentionally opposed its policies. He said he refused to comply with pandemic measures such as health code scanning, testing, and vaccination, and used various methods to avoid them because he did not want authorities tracking his movements.
He explained that his distrust of the CCP stems from experiences he witnessed growing up. He recalled that in 1988, family planning officials demolished part of his family’s newly built home and confiscated livestock. He also described hearing about violent enforcement of family planning policies in his village.
Chen said his brother’s family had been persecuted for religious beliefs, and after his brother and sister-in-law passed away, their children were left orphaned. Two daughters in his uncle’s family were also imprisoned multiple times and still dare not return home.
“Hearing about such things as a child made me feel that living in that environment could drive someone into depression,” he said.
Chen stated that he views himself as fundamentally opposed to the Communist Party and believes his experience of not contracting COVID-19 supports his personal views, saying that the virus posed no threat to him.
Since last year, many young Chinese seeking freedom and wishing to escape what they describe as the constraints of CCP rule have traveled to the United States through Central America, enduring difficult journeys. Many experienced strict lockdowns and pandemic controls in China, which they say further shaped their views. After arriving in Flushing, New York, some participate in weekly exhibitions and public activities criticizing the CCP and discussing political issues; Chen said he is among them.
Chen said, “I believe this virus is directed at the Communist Party. Those who follow it believe its lies and participate in wrongdoing. When I read reports about persecution, it makes me cry. How can such a government be trusted or obeyed? If you follow it, you follow it into destruction, because this pandemic is a manifestation of ‘Heaven eliminating the CCP.’”
Chen Weijie (third from left) participated in an anti-CCP protest in New York this June opposing what participants described as CCP influence in American communities. (Lin Dan / The Epoch Times)
Editor in charge: Chen Wenqi
5.《陳偉傑：大陸難民給台灣人民的信“Chen Weijie: A Letter from a Mainland Chinese Refugee to the People of Taiwan”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/1/12/n14156802.htm
Recent photo of Chen Weijie. (Provided by the author)
Updated: January 13, 2024, 1:00 AM | Views: 474
Tags: Mainland Refugee, People of Taiwan, 全民抓间谍 (Nationwide Anti-Espionage Campaign), Chinese Star, Chen Weijie
We are mainland refugees who have fled from CCP rule, now scattered around the world. In this moment filled with hope and expectation, it must be God’s guidance that allows us to connect with Taiwanese voters before the election. Many will travel long distances back to Taiwan to cast their votes, placing hope in Taiwan’s bright future.
Taiwan’s brilliance was born from democracy. The CCP originated in evil and will ultimately end in evil. Its own vortex will eventually tear it apart, and before that happens, people should stay far away because the stain will splatter outward. There is too much darkness under CCP rule. Many people in China live their entire lives under this shadow, struggling to survive while working endlessly like machines to sustain the regime. They are led to believe that the outside world is dangerous, while only under dark clouds at home do they supposedly enjoy protection. In reality, they are deceived and enslaved.
For many at the bottom of Chinese society, even supporting themselves is difficult, let alone providing education for their children. Under CCP governance, countless tragic lives have emerged. Those considered embarrassing or inconvenient can simply disappear, much like homes demolished by forced eviction. In China, even crying out in pain may result in being charged with vague crimes such as “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” or accusations of harming national sentiment or espionage.
China is now encouraging citizens to report spies, offering rewards for information. The CCP is described as placing agents around the world, and its influence is said to extend into many sectors of Western societies. The author warns Taiwanese readers not to trust promises made by those aligned with the CCP and describes the CCP as a driving force behind global instability.
Taiwan, in contrast, is described as a “star among Chinese societies,” with safe food, functioning social welfare, and a society where people do not fear disappearance, organ harvesting, pollution, or government abuse—issues the author claims remain unresolved in mainland China. He argues that senior officials in China enjoy privileged supplies and therefore do not face the same problems as ordinary citizens.
The author further states that China under CCP rule lacks truth, freedom, and human rights, claiming that dissenting voices are silenced through disappearance, imprisonment, or intimidation.
He writes that some who fled abroad have become displaced, with assets frozen in China and families separated. Many, he says, face uncertain futures if conditions in China do not change.
According to the author, unemployment in China is rising and social welfare is minimal. He alleges that poverty, unsafe food, and misinformation continue to harm generations, while public information remains tightly controlled.
He argues that the CCP seeks international support through economic incentives and suppresses voices of progress and civilization, claiming that the regime is approaching its end.
The author states that China is moving backward politically and culturally, comparing current trends to the Cultural Revolution era, and describes Hong Kong as an example of decline under CCP influence.
He concludes by expressing hope that Taiwan will remain a beacon of democracy and freedom for Chinese people, praying for God’s protection over Taiwan and wishing for its democratic values to shine as a source of hope.
The gap in civilization between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, he writes, is significant. He encourages those who hold idealized views of mainland China to witness life there firsthand, especially during times of disaster, when he claims government assistance is limited. He argues that Taiwan’s democratic system exposes the shortcomings of authoritarian rule and warns readers not to trust the CCP, concluding with the statement: “Otherwise, our present could become your future.”
Chen Weijie
Participant in the Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Movement
January 12, 2024
Editor in charge: Sun Yun
6.《陳偉傑面臨遣返 外界憂中共藉美司法進行跨國鎮壓“Chen Weijie Faces Possible Deportation; Concerns Raised That the CCP May Use the U.S. Legal System for Transnational Repression”》
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/26/1/30/n14687285.htm
Chen Weijie Faces Possible Deportation; Concerns Raised That the CCP May Use the U.S. Legal System for Transnational Repression
Chen Weijie organized a celebration of the Republic of China (Taiwan)’s Double Tenth National Day on October 10, 2024, chanting “CCP, get out of the United Nations.” (Shi Ping / The Epoch Times)
Updated: January 31, 2026, 5:46 AM | Views: 6,264
Tags: ICE, CCP, Transnational Repression, Chen Weijie, Immigration Detention
[Epoch Times, January 30, 2026] (Reported by Lin Dan, New York)
In September 2025, Chen Weijie attended the launch ceremony at Sculpture Park in California for the cross-country U.S. tour of the “CCP Virus Sculpture Vehicle.” (Chen Weijie’s X account)
On December 28, 2025, the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance protested in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles against what it described as the CCP’s transnational repression, stating that Chen Weijie’s possible deportation was a “set-up” and an act of transnational repression. (Provided by the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance)
Chen Weijie (left) in front of the Chinese Consulate, calling for the “release of all political prisoners.” (The Epoch Times)
Chen Weijie (second row) poses for a photo with John Moolenaar (front row, right), Chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the CCP, and Jin Xiuhong, Chairperson of the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance. (Provided by the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance)
At many anti-CCP rallies, Chen Weijie is often seen standing at the front of the crowd, holding banners high. One of the slogans he frequently chants is: “The Communist Party is an enemy of humanity; organ harvesting and virus release.” Now, the Chinese activist—who once served as the New York coordinator of the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance (CDHRA) and has been active in overseas pro-democracy and anti-CCP activities—has been detained in a U.S. immigration facility and is facing possible deportation. His case is scheduled for a court hearing soon.
“If he is sent back to China, he will certainly face severe punishment, or even fabricated charges and death in prison, because what he has done is exactly what the CCP hates most,” said Jin Xiuhong, chairperson of the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance.
Jin stated in an interview that Chen’s arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resulted from what she described as deliberate framing by pro-CCP forces, aimed at silencing him and facilitating his return to China. She characterized the situation as an example of transnational repression carried out through the U.S. legal system amid stricter immigration enforcement.
Chen Weijie’s X account prominently states: “The Communist Party is an enemy of humanity — organ harvesting and virus release; tear down the Great Firewall; freeze CCP assets in the United States; hold the CCP accountable for releasing COVID-19.” (Chen Weijie’s X account)
On June 30, 2024, Chen Weijie attended and delivered a speech at a rally in Flushing organized by the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance calling for an end to the CCP. (The Epoch Times)
In August 2023, Chen Weijie welcomed then–Vice President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, during his transit through New York, displaying a banner reading “Defend the Beacon of Freedom.” (The Epoch Times)
From Street Protests to Immigration Detention
According to Jin, in early September 2025 Chen traveled to California to participate in the launch of a cross-country tour featuring a sculpture themed around the COVID-19 pandemic, initiated by Chinese sculptor Chen Weiming. Chen attended the launch ceremony on September 6 and posted photos on the social platform X.
Several days later, Chen reportedly received a phone call asking him to pick up a “package,” with the caller saying it could resolve a previous dispute. When he arrived at the designated location—an area under intensive ICE enforcement—he did not receive any package but was instead detained by immigration officers and transferred to an immigration detention facility in Arizona.
Around the same time, Yao Ge, deputy secretary-general of the alliance, was also arrested following an altercation in which he said he was attacked by individuals after attending the same event.
Jin suggested that the incidents were coordinated and targeted actions aimed at individuals associated with the organization and its activities.
Chen Weijie’s family members in China were visited and harassed by police, and his son, frightened by the incident, blocked him. The image on the left shows Chen Weijie, and the image on the right is a screenshot of a conversation between Chen and his son. (Provided by Chen Weijie)
Chen Weijie’s TikTok account was reportedly blocked, allegedly due to videos criticizing the CCP. (Provided by the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance)
Questions Surrounding Two Criminal Cases
Jin said that during efforts to secure Chen’s release on bail, attorneys discovered two criminal cases listed under his name. One allegedly stemmed from a rental dispute in New York. Chen reportedly lent his landlord $3,000, which was neither repaid nor credited toward rent. During a later confrontation, the landlord allegedly fell and was injured, after which police were called. Due to language barriers, Chen said he was unable to fully explain the situation and was arrested on assault charges despite surveillance cameras being present.
Jin questioned whether relevant surveillance footage had been properly reviewed during the case.
Long-Term Public Opposition to the CCP
On social media platform X, Chen’s profile describes him as supporting the overthrow of CCP authoritarian rule and advocating for human rights in China.
According to the report, Chen’s opposition to the CCP stems from experiences in his childhood, including family members allegedly affected by family planning enforcement and religious persecution. He later participated in the 2019 Hong Kong anti-extradition movement and entered the United States via irregular migration routes on May 15, 2023. After arriving, he continued participating in protests and organizing activities critical of the CCP.
He attended the June 4 Tiananmen commemoration in New York shortly after arriving in the United States and regularly joined weekly exhibitions in Flushing. He publicly supported Taiwan’s democracy and participated in campaigns opposing military action against Taiwan.
In June 2024, Chen traveled to Washington, D.C., for Tiananmen anniversary events and met with Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the CCP.
At Double Ten Day events in 2024, Chen organized public gatherings and called for the CCP to be removed from the United Nations.
Allegations of Harassment of Family Members
According to the report, several months after Chen began participating in anti-CCP activities in the United States, police in China allegedly visited and questioned his relatives. His ex-wife and son were reportedly frightened and cut off contact with him. Chen stated at the time that authorities were using family members to pressure him.
Concerns Over Transnational Repression
Jin Xiuhong said internal CCP documents allegedly label the Chinese Democracy and Human Rights Alliance as an “extreme anti-China organization,” making its members targets. She cited threats and harassment faced by activists as evidence of broader pressure.
Supporters of Chen argue that if deported, he could face serious danger upon return to China due to his public activism. They have called on U.S. authorities to halt deportation proceedings and grant him asylum.
“Saving Chen Weijie is not just about saving one person,” said Shi Qingmei, a regional coordinator of the alliance. “It raises the question: when someone flees authoritarianism for freedom, how will the free world respond?”
Editor in charge: Chen Wenqi
2.Mockery of Chen Weijie by pro-CCP online nationalists (CCP supporters):
“兔子那些事Things about China” quoted a post and said:
The consequences of being anti-China: Chen Weijie, the beast-man who ran to America has been sold out by his biological father – The USA. He was put into prison and will be deport back to China soon.
3.Weijie Chen’s X(Twitter) account:
Chen Weijie’s bio：
Chinese Democracy & Human Rights Alliance, Chinese Republic Party: Human Being’s enemy CCP, Commits Organ Harvest and Releases Virus. Push down the China’s Great Firewall. Freeze the CCP’s assets in the United States. Hold the CCP accountable for releasing COVID-19. Trace the origin of the COVID-19 = the disintegrate CCP. We must hold the tracing of the origin of the COVID-19. CCP wants to eliminate America and takes place of America. Disintegrate CCP and put CCP on trial.
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