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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US Protests China
HEADLINE: Protests in China Prompt Chinese Students in US to Speak Out
TEASER: From coast to coast, overseas Chinese in US overcome fear of Chinese government to publicly stand with protesters back home
PUBLISHED AT: 12/1/2022 at 9:05 pm
BYLINE: Elizabeth Lee, Asim Kashgarian
CONTRIBUTOR: Fang Bing, Jiu Dao, Wang Ping
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: Genia Dulot
VIDEO EDITOR: Elizabeth Lee
SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, Reifenrath, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, Reuters
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:05
VID APPROVED BY: Holly Franko
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: This is a companion WEB article with this report))
((INTRO))
[[Chinese students in the U.S. have been attending rallies across the nation this week in support of protests throughout China against Beijing’s “zero-COVID” policy. The mass demonstrations in China are the first since Tiananmen Square in 1989. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee reports. VOA Mandarin Service video journalists Fang Bing and Jiu Dao in New York and Wang Ping in Washington contributed to this report.]]
((NARRATOR))
From Los Angeles to Washington and New York, Chinese studying or living in the U.S. are calling for the Chinese Communist Party and its leader to step down.
[[FOR RADIO: Han Wang is the student organizer for this vigil and rally in Los Angeles]]
((Han Wang, Chinese Student in Los Angeles)) ((English))
“People are dying in China.”
((NARRATOR))
People in the U.S. and China are protesting Beijing's strict zero-COVID policy, which has prompted sporadic and lengthy lockdowns in China.
[[FOR RADIO: Originally from China, Liu Xiaomei attended the rally in New York.]]
((Liu Xiaomei, New York Resident)) ((In Mandarin))
“A lot of the workers are all sealed up at home and can’t go out and pay their mortgages. I think the continued lockdowns are not scientific. It’s not right.”
((NARRATOR))
A student who calls herself Max hides her identify at a candlelight vigil in Los Angeles because she fears for her relatives' safety in China. She says the consequences of China’s zero-COVID policy and lockdowns are worse than the disease.
(("Max", Los Angeles Resident))
“Way more people are dying because of this. They're starving to death.”
((NARRATOR))
A deadly apartment fire last week in the city of Urumqi in northwest China sparked the protests throughout country. The region is home to China’s Uyghur Muslims.
One Urumqi resident told VOA that because of the zero-COVID policy, the doors to the fire escape were chained from the outside, trapping people inside the burning building. A fire department official said residents were not aware of an alternate fire escape. A Uyghur news outlet in the U.S. reported 44 people died in the fire, but the government puts the death toll at 10.
This vigil in Los Angeles is not only for the people who died in the fire, says Kiki, a student who also chose not to use her real name for fear of Chinese government retaliation.
(("Kiki", Los Angeles Resident)) ((In Mandarin))
“These 44 fellow citizens also represent every single person in China — could be you, could be me — we are actually inside the building, the big fire, together. If we don’t speak out today and don’t act, no one in the world will hear.”
((NARRATOR))
Hamid Kerim is a Uyghur from China who owns restaurants in Washington.
He says the protests are long overdue given China’s repressive policy against Uyghurs.
((Hamid Kerim, Uyghur Restaurant Owner)) ((In Mandarin))
“The Urumqi fire ignited everyone’s heart. It made them, the people, stand up. I respect and support the protesters, but in my opinion, it’s a little late. But it’s still not too late.”
((NARRATOR))
Beijing has rejected criticism of its actions in the Xinjiang region, where many Uyghurs live, saying it is fighting against terrorism and bringing social stability and prosperity to the area.
[[FOR RADIO: Here’s spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian.]]
((Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson)) ((In Mandarin))
"Indeed, on social media there are some forces with ulterior motives relating the fire with the local response to COVID-19. The Urumqi city government has already held a news conference to clarify what happened and refuted the disinformation and smears."
((NARRATOR))
Some Chinese in the U.S. say their fight is about something greater than China's COVID policy.
[[FOR RADIO: Again, student organizer, Han Wang]]
((Han Wang, Chinese Student in Los Angeles))
“We are here to support them to fight for freedom and democracy.”
((NARRATOR))
Many demonstrators say they will continue to speak out for their friends and loved ones in China, hoping there will be a better life one day, for them and the next generation.
((Elizabeth Lee, VOA News, Washington))
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington
Embargo DateDecember 1, 2022 21:36 EST
BylineElizabeth Lee
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America, Voice of America - English
