Below is the speech given by the speaker of Assembly of Citizens, Ruohui Yang, on the #NoChinaNationalDay gathering. October 1st is the date which marked the foundation of today’s China and the government of CCP. Pro-democracy activists across world mark this date as the start of the illegitimate governance of CCP, and gather on this day every year to protest. The speech is originally given in Chinese Mandarin, English version was translated by Ashlynn Peng, Assembly of Citizens.
Hello everyone, thank you for being here today.
Once again, we gather on this #NoChinaNationalDay — the date Chinese Communist Party has proclaimed the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. I want to begin by addressing why we are here, as we stand united with two goals: First, to confront the deep, ongoing suffering in the Asia-Pacific region, either they are countries, regions, or ethnic groups, that have been suppressed or occupied by the CCP; second, to resist and expose the CCP’s growing influence and infiltration right here in North America. For some of us, it’s one of these reasons; for some, it’s both.
But no matter what our individual goals or demands may be, we must never lose sight of two guiding principles. These principles are not new. In fact, they were even emphasized by the CCP itself. They are: “Seek truth from facts” and “Keep pace with the times.” Yet today, many people, including some of us in the overseas pro-democracy movement, have failed to embody their meaning. And perhaps that is why, despite years of unremitting effort, many of us have yet to see the progress we expected for.
“Seek truth from facts” means, we have to recognize the limits of our own side. We must face reality with clear eyes and understand the enemy we are up against — not as we wish it to be, but as it truly is. We must be honest about where it is strong and where it is weak. Only then can we refine our strategy, adapt our approaches, and constantly evolve our methods of resistance.
We are living in a world that has already raced through a quarter of the current 21st century. We are living in an era full of powerful techniques: artificial intelligence, live streaming, short reels, and a digital ecosystem that connects people faster than any government can censor them. So we must evolve to “Keep the pace with the times.” We must utilize these technologies to strengthen our resistance, to amplify our voices, to organize more effectively, and to break through the walls of silence inside China.
Another important point is that we must be clear about what we are doing. We are facing one of the most powerful, wealthy, and technologically advanced authoritarian regimes in human history, meanwhile a regime without limit. I recall a saying: those who are unwilling to give up anything will never accomplish anything. Political movements require sacrifice. That sacrifice could be the time we spend gathering here today, the effort we make to show up and walk, or it could be something else… But we need to admit one thing: the Chinese Communist Party will not collapse on its own. It is through our ongoing efforts, through connecting with and supporting people inside China, that we can bring about real change.
Lastly, I want to emphasize one more crucial point. On top of all the principles and values we stand for, we must understand this: professionalism matters. It is not just important, it is essential. A few days ago, I had a conversation with a friend who said he wanted to launch an anti-CCP channel. I asked him, “Great, but do you have a plan for your MCN?” He said, “What’s an MCN?” For context, MCN stands for Multichannel Network, it is an example of what we called jargon. It reminded me how often we overlook the need for technical understanding, for industry knowledge, and generally — for professionalism.
If we are building media platforms, we must bring in professionals and approach it with a dedicated attitude; if we’re building organizations, we should operate it with the mindset and rigor for a formal organization.
If we hope to lead resistance, if we are aiming for revolution, then our planning, our analysis, our execution must be just as professional. Let’s just be clear: Xi Jinping, sitting in Zhongnanhai Beijing, is a full-time authoritarian. Every single day, he wakes up focused on how to further oppress the Chinese people, Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Hongkongers. He has a full time job. So we, too, must adopt a full-time spirit. We need full-time minds, full-time commitment, to push our work beyond symbolic actions or sporadic protests into a movement that can create lasting, substantial change inside China. That’s why I encourage all of us to think strategically about what kinds of projects and work will best serve our goal: the collapse of the Chinese Communist Party. For example, at the Assembly of Citizens, we’ve launched a UN project, where we gather information about political prisoners in China, form report and submit to the United Nations via the Special Procedure, enabling real international pressure. Another example is Li Community’s “611 Study ICU” — a project that directly addresses the issue of excessive school schedules in China, where children are deprived of weekend break and most statutory holidays. These are not abstract campaigns, they are targeted, structured, and built for impact. And we must see that the true force capable of dismantling this regime, the real power of resistance, lies within the borders of that land.
So, let’s hold ourselves to that standard, and move forward together.
Thank you all again for being here today.
