Desperate Chinese Dissident Trapped in Taiwan Airport Seeks Urgent Asylum in America or Canada

A Chinese dissident, residing in the Taiwanese airport since last Friday, is appealing to either the United States or Canada to provide him with asylum. He fled Thailand, expressing concerns over being forcibly returned to China. Chen Siming, renowned for annually honoring the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, a topic heavily censored and forbidden in China, stated to CNN that he left China in July due to escalating pressure and surveillance from the authorities.

Since 2017, he has been marking the anniversary of the tragic event, in which soldiers and tanks forcefully dispersed students and pro-democracy demonstrators from a crowded Beijing square. He has chosen to participate in street protests and utilize social media platforms to remember this day. In the past, these activities have led to penalties and administrative detention for Chen. However, he observed that Beijing's control has notably intensified in recent years.

Dissidents and activists within civil society have faced an intensified crackdown during the tenure of Xi Jinping, who is widely regarded as China's most assertive leader in recent times.

Chen revealed that he receives persistent phone calls from the police, who would visit his residence if he fails to answer. On other occasions, the police would summon him to report to the station without clear justification.

Chen expressed a mix of emotions, including sadness, anger, and fear, upon receiving a call on July 21, in which the police instructed him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Consequently, he hastily gathered his belongings, embarked on a journey throughout various parts of China, and eventually reached the precarious southern border with Laos—a frequently used route for individuals attempting to escape.

When evening fell, he crossed the border into the Laos mountains, he told CNN - and by early August, hed crossed the Mekong River and entered Thailand.

Chinese activist uses jetski to flee to South Korea.

Incheon Coast Guard

While in Thailand, Chen explained that he had sought refuge with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and registered as a refugee. Despite going through an expedited process, he remained concerned about his safety, as he feared that his refugee status would not shield him from potential detention by Thai law enforcement or immigration officials.

The Southeast Asian kingdom does not acknowledge asylum and instead relies on the United Nations to handle refugee claims, aiming to relocate approved claimants to other nations. Numerous individuals spend several years in Thailand before being resettled.

Due to the Thai government's frequently cordial relations with Beijing, numerous Chinese dissidents do not feel secure in Thailand, as in the past, dissidents residing there have ended up in Chinese custody.

Chen ultimately made the decision to escape Thailand and arrived in Taipei on Friday during a layover to Guangzhou. Upon reaching Taoyuan International Airport, he utilized X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to share a video declaring his motive for coming to Taiwan: "In order to escape the political oppression imposed by the Chinese Communist Party, I have sought refuge here."

Expressing his desire for political asylum in either the US or Canada, Chen appealed to his friends to implore the Taiwanese government not to repatriate him to China. He emphasized his predicament in the video caption, stating, "I find myself stranded here against my will, facing an illegal situation."

Dissidents fleeing abroad

Taiwan is a self-governing democratic island, home to 24 million people, which Beijings ruling Communist Party claims as its territory despite never having controlled it.

In recent years, Taiwan has emerged as a refuge for dissidents escaping from China, including pro-democracy activists and Hong Kong leaders, as Beijing intensifies its crackdown on the city.

However, it is important to note that Taiwan lacks domestic legislation acknowledging the notion of asylum, and the United Nations' refugee agency does not have a presence in the country.

Chen told CNN that shortly after he posted his video, he was interrogated by the immigration authorities of Taiwan and the Mainland Affairs Council. He stated that he is currently still at the airport.

According to Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, they informed CNN on Monday that they are currently addressing the situation of Chen Siming, a Chinese dissident who is stuck at Taoyuan International Airport. The government is currently working on resolving this issue and cannot provide any further information at this time.

At least three boats of exiles have left Hong Kong for Taiwan in recent months, sources close to the operation told CNN.

CNN

Hong Kong was once a safe haven from China. Now activists are fleeing the city by boat to Taiwan

Two Chinese dissidents resided in Taoyuan for an extended period in 2019 until their situations were eventually resolved. UNHCR refrained from commenting on Chen's case, while CNN has contacted Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office for their input.

Chen is currently awaiting the processing of his case and eagerly anticipates obtaining asylum in either Canada or the United States. He expressed to CNN that due to the prevailing political atmosphere in China, he is unable to continue his endeavors there. Chen remains hopeful that the US government will support the Chinese people and contribute to the cessation of the authoritarian regime led by the Chinese Communist Party, ultimately paving the way for democracy in China.

The dramatic journey he undertakes is similar to other recent cases, shedding light on the perilous situation for Chinese dissidents seeking safety in Southeast Asia.

In the past, those critical of the Chinese Communist Party sought refuge in Thailand, but even that has become increasingly dangerous in recent years.

In 2015, Thai police arrested Jiang Yefei and Dong Guangping, two members of a small opposition political party in China who were living in exile. Despite objections from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the two individuals were extradited to China and subsequently imprisoned. Following Dong's extradition, his wife and daughter sought refuge in Canada, fleeing from Thailand.

Chinese rights lawyer Lu Siwei poses on a road, at an undisclosed location, around 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Vientiane, Laos, Thursday, July 27, 2023.

Anonymous Source/AP

Rights groups urge Laos to release missing Chinese lawyer who was trying to get to US

In August of this year, the well-known lawyer Lu Siwei was apprehended in Laos while en route to the United States, and now he is at risk of being sent back to China. Laos, which shares a border with southwestern China, has historically been a commonly used, albeit dangerous, escape route for Chinese dissidents seeking to leave the country.

Lu gained recognition for successfully navigating China's opaque criminal justice system and handling sensitive cases for many years. However, his license was revoked by authorities in 2021 after he represented one of the twelve activists who were intercepted by Chinese coastguards while attempting to flee Hong Kong for Taiwan by sea.

The arrest of Lu sparked a wave of petitions from numerous human rights organizations, urging the authorities in Laos to free him and stop the deportation process. These groups express concern about the substantial risk of torture and mistreatment if Lu is sent back to China. Similarly, Chen has garnered backing from activist communities upon his arrival in Taiwan.

Wang Dan, an exiled student leader from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, expressed on Saturday that there is significant global concern regarding Chen's appeal for asylum. He emphasized his active involvement in assisting Chen and expressed optimism about a positive resolution.