China’s mass exodus
International human rights group Safeguard Defenders released a report titled “China’s mass exodus” on Friday last week, which cited UN High Commissioner for Refugees statistics showing that more than 1 million Chinese have sought asylum abroad between 2012 and the middle of last year, and that the number of asylum seekers has been increasing since Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) rose to power in 2012.
Wang Shoufeng (王守峰), an entrepreneur of a small-to-medium enterprise in Anyang, a city in central China’s Henan Province, was accused of “contravening the Charity Law.” He fled the country hastily after a police officer told him that he was going to be arrested.
Wang said in an interview that his Chinese dream was that China could become a democratic country like the US or Germany with a government elected by the votes of its 1.4 billion people, and that the country could become civilized.
The BBC Chinese Web site also published a story on April 1 last year, which said that Chinese citizens have become a new group of asylum seekers trying to illegally enter the US.
It was estimated that more than 37,000 Chinese citizens were detained at the US-Mexico border in 2023, 50 times more than that in 2021.
According to the latest report published by Henley & Partners, an investment and immigration consultancy firm, a record 15,200 Chinese millionaires were expected to relocate with their assets to another country by the end of last year.
Wang Youqun (王友群), former secretary of Wei Jianxing (尉健行), a former member of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Politburo Standing Committee, said Xi made a lot of wrong decisions during his 12 years in power, which made life difficult for every social class and caused widespread public grievances.
With more internal opponents than ever, Xi is worried about a mass uprising. He has therefore embraced “wolf warrior” diplomacy, which creates external enemies on all fronts, Wang said.
Xi’s insecurity could be seen from his security arrangements during his domestic visits and foreign trips, Wang said, adding that the CCP sees everyone as an enemy.
What Wang said is in line with the data showing that there have been more than 1 million asylum seekers, 37,000 illegal immigrants and 15,200 rich people leaving the country. We should keep this credible data in mind when we observe China.
Muduo
Taipei
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