“Is this bridge a silent witness to history?” you might ask yourselves as we gather here, before the Yufeng Bridge. The Yufeng Bridge is more than just a link between two points. It is a landmark.
Let’s step back in time. Imagine Beijing, perhaps not so different from today, yet simmering with unspoken tensions. Now, fast forward to a more recent event.
In October 2022, a man named Peng Lifa stood on Beijing’s Sitong Bridge. Sitong Bridge is also called Yufeng Bridge. Peng Lifa draped protest banners from the Yufeng Bridge. The banners spoke against China’s zero-COVID policy. They called it a violation of freedom of expression. The banners demanded real elections and political reform.
One banner criticized Xi Jinping. It called him a “national traitor”. Another banner voiced the people’s needs. It said, “We want food, not PCR tests. We want freedom, not lockdowns. We want respect, not lies. We want reform, not a Cultural Revolution. We want a vote, not a leader. We want to be citizens, not slaves.” Peng Lifa shouted through a loudspeaker. He proclaimed, “We want to eat. We want freedom. We want votes!”
Authorities quickly arrested Peng Lifa. His online name is Peng Zaizhou. He remains in detention at an unknown location. His family remains under government watch. Sources familiar with the case wished to remain unnamed. They feared attracting official attention. Authorities have not delivered any legal documents to his family. His relatives and friends cannot hire a lawyer for him.
Peng Lifa’s wife, Han Yang, and their two daughters remain in Beijing. Authorities arranged transportation for their commutes to work and school. Government personnel accompany them everywhere. The government confiscated the mobile phones of Peng Lifa’s wife and daughters. They were given new ones issued by the authorities.
Peng Lifa’s father-in-law, Han Yueci, used to run a small business. The Public Security Bureau assigned him to work and live at a small factory. He is under surveillance. Peng Lifa’s mother-in-law lived in Beijing. She now lives with her eldest daughter in Jilin Province, bordering North Korea and Russia. She is likely under surveillance.
Peng Lifa’s brothers and sisters are farmers. They live in their hometown of Tailai in Heilongjiang Province. It is near the border with Inner Mongolia. They were summoned to the local police station for questioning. His parents have passed away due to illness.
Han Yang has two sisters. One sister and her husband work in public schools. The other sister works in a state-owned power plant. Investigators questioned all three at their workplaces after the Yufeng Bridge incident.
Liang Shaohua is a former human rights lawyer in China. He now lives in Los Angeles. He volunteers as a rights advocate. He said there is no basis under Chinese law for restricting Peng Lifa’s family. Liang believes Peng Lifa’s family members are illegally under house arrest. He calls it illegal collective punishment.
Chinese dissident Lin Shengliang lives in the Netherlands. He leads efforts to help and rescue political prisoners in China. He said volunteers in China have taken risky trips to find Peng Lifa. Zhou Fengsuo was a student leader in the Tiananmen Square protests. He believes Peng Lifa’s protest triggered the Blank Paper Movement nationwide. This led to the end of the zero-COVID policy.
Liang stated that advocating ending the zero-COVID policy. Also that removing Xi Jinping and calling Xi Jinping a “national traitor” are not crimes. He said the Chinese police had no legal basis for his arrest. Liang believes that the authorities’ detention of Peng Lifa violates Chinese law. It also violates the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
So, as we stand here at the foot of the Yufeng Bridge, remember its significance. It is a reminder that even in the most controlled societies, the human spirit yearns for freedom and expression.