"The Two-Year Anniversary of the 'White Paper Movement': Echoes of Silent Protests and the Response of Power

File Photo: November 27, 2022, Beijing, China. Protesters march during demonstrations against China's strict zero-COVID policies, holding blank sheets of paper as a symbol against censorship. Following a deadly apartment fire in Xinjiang Province, protesters took to the streets in multiple cities across China, sparking nationwide protests, with many attributing the deaths to COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

[People News] On November 24, 2022, a residential building in Urumqi, Xinjiang, caught fire. Rescue efforts were delayed due to lockdown measures, resulting in a tragic incident with at least 19 casualties. This event sparked widespread dissatisfaction across the country with the COVID-19 control policies. University students initiated silent protests using blank sheets of paper as a symbol, calling for the removal of restrictions on freedom of speech. Two years later, the "White Paper Movement" continues to express discontent with power through silent, non-violent means, leaving profound social and political reverberations. It is not only a cry for individual rights but also marks an awakening and challenge by the younger generation in China against authoritarianism.

According to a report by Radio Free Asia, Chinese artist Du Yinghong, who currently resides in Chiang Mai, Thailand, mentioned in an interview on November 26 that he had completed a mural on a wall in a resort. The mural was dedicated to Nanjing student Li Kangmeng, who silently protested by holding a blank sheet of paper. Du explained that he hoped everyone visiting the resort would remember her: “When the White Paper Revolution began, I showed my support by buying the largest blank sheet of paper I could find. The mural of the female student holding the blank paper is something I painted on a wall at the Tai Hao Art Resort here in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Beyond expressing concern for Li Kangmeng and young people, I also hope more people will see these symbols.”

Du Yinghong has recently hosted young participants of the "White Paper Movement" from that time: “A few days ago, a young person who had been on the front lines of the White Paper Movement and helped organize it came to visit me. We talked about many heart-stirring events from back then. For him and for this group of young, aspiring individuals—almost driven to the edge—it was a time of courage and resolve, and those stories continue to move us deeply.”

Authorities' Swift Response to Protests Two Years Ago

On November 26, 2022, university students in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, and Jinan displayed slogans on campus such as "No lockdowns, we want freedom," "No COVID tests, we want food," and "Dynamic zero-COVID is a lie." They also held gatherings on campus to mourn the victims of the Urumqi fire. That evening, residents on Urumqi Road in Shanghai chanted slogans, leading to collective protests. Police quickly dispersed the crowd and began making arrests.

In Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the Chinese-language Feidi Bookstore, a university student from Zhejiang, Ms. Jiang, shared her thoughts in an interview with Radio Free Asia. She discussed her search for deeper societal reasons behind the White Paper Movement: “They said this bookstore had some interesting content—books you might not find in bookstores in mainland China. After visiting, I found that was true; there were indeed many fascinating books. I really liked it, so I’ve come several times. The book ‘Don’t Understand’ is particularly resonant with young people paying attention to this event (the White Paper Movement). I’ve developed a stronger curiosity about the world outside. To understand the full picture of an issue, you may need to bypass internet censorship and discover more.”

Surveillance, Arrests, and Technological Advancements

In response to the unexpected wave of social protests, the Chinese government maintained its typical hardline approach to control the situation.

Retired university professor Mr. Zhou told Radio Free Asia that over the past two years, participants in the movement have faced intense surveillance and open arrests. Universities have significantly increased the number of surveillance cameras: "Through facial recognition technology, they can precisely monitor individuals' movements. Meanwhile, discussions related to 'white paper' on social platforms are quickly censored and deleted to prevent public gatherings."

Artist Du Yinghong believes the White Paper Movement offers valuable lessons for advocates of freedom and democracy in China and around the world. He said: "Many participants in this movement have been silenced. Even those who have gone abroad are afraid to speak the truth about what happened. The fear of this government and these issues has reached its peak. However, I feel that society has reached a critical point, and new significant actions will inevitably emerge."

In recent years, Chinese police have implemented a "zero-tolerance" policy across various regions. At the slightest sign of gatherings, they deploy large police forces to disperse crowds and detain participants under charges such as "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." For university students, authorities have ramped up surveillance and ideological indoctrination efforts. Some universities have secretly established monitoring teams and even influenced students' views through counselors and psychologists. Scholar Mr. Zhong told Radio Free Asia: "The level of control in schools has changed. In recent years, I’ve seen that universities and high schools are essentially sealed off. Even at some well-known universities, it’s difficult to enter as a visitor. The White Paper Movement two years ago was a rebellion by society as a whole—a rebellion by the entire population."

Dissidents in Hunan told Radio Free Asia that local state security agents have recently employed various control methods, including online surveillance, phone tapping, summonses, and warnings. Community grid workers closely monitor their behavior to prevent any incidents. One anonymous individual revealed: "The authorities are now monitoring not just dissidents, rights defenders, and petitioners, but everyone."

Mr. Zhong noted that over the past two years, despair among the public has been growing due to economic decline and reduced household incomes: "This has led to numerous incidents, especially in recent days, with one car-ramming incident after another. Just yesterday or the day before, there were two or three incidents in a single day. Even government officials are nervous now, as their own families live in this society too."

The Profound Significance of the White Paper Movement

Du Yinghong pointed out that despite the heightened vigilance across China during the two-year anniversary of the White Paper Movement to prevent similar events from occurring, "once people's hearts, after being broken, reconnect, they will always find ways to express themselves. Whether it’s the White Paper Revolution, the Lighter Revolution, the Projection Revolution, or the Drone Revolution, wise and brave people will always find methods of resistance that suit them. This carries positive significance for society and for China."

Chinese female author Tong Tianyao, part of the "post-80s" generation, referenced a passage from The Chinese Character by late Qing-era American missionary Arthur Henderson Smith during her interview with Radio Free Asia: “Why have the revolutions experienced by other nations rarely happened in China? Someone once built a stone wall, six feet thick but only four feet high. The idea was that if the wall were ever blown over by the wind, it would become taller than it was originally.” She explained, "The world we see today is shaped by that metaphorical wall. Unlike the era Arthur Smith observed, this wall has become thicker, taller, and even surrounded by dense electric wiring at the top. It appears unbreakable. The government uses this wall to isolate people from both the past and the future, so much so that forgetting has become the norm for this generation. But the tragedies of reality fight against this amnesia. People resist the destruction inflicted upon them by power with their shouts, their blank papers, and their memories. Their fragility is their weapon."

Tong agreed with John Berger’s assertion: "Among the attributes of humanity, the constant presence of vulnerability is the most precious."

Artist He Sanpo described the White Paper Movement as a silent cry: "Over a hundred years ago, Lu Xun wrote short stories for New Youth, which were later compiled under the title Call to Arms. The White Paper Movement is also a call to arms—but one that is more desperate, helpless, and bittersweet because it is a silent cry."

On November 22, young people in the San Francisco Bay Area held a gathering at the University of California, Berkeley, to mourn the victims of the Urumqi fire. Candlelight vigils followed in cities such as London and Paris, where people prayed for those imprisoned in China for pursuing freedom.