A panel at the U.S. Capitol exposed how Beijing has expanded its persecution of the faith group into the United States.
WASHINGTON—Lawmakers on a panel at the U.S. Capitol denounced the Chinese Communist Party’s far-reaching campaign of repression in the United States while commending the targeted group, Falun Gong, for its courage.
“It’s transnational terrorism as to what they seek to do, to undermine and to hurt people who are just filled with kindness towards others,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) told a crowd of around 200 at a forum on July 17 titled “Safeguarding Freedom: Countering CCP Transnational Repression.”
“There’s no boundaries to what this dictatorship will do anywhere and everywhere, and we’ve got to stand boldly against it, and you are doing that. So I really thank you.”
The event took place three days before a key anniversary for Falun Gong, a meditative practice with moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. On July 20, 1999, the Chinese regime marked the practice for elimination. Since then, tens of millions of Falun Gong practitioners have been subjected to arbitrary detention, forced labor, and torture, while the regime uses propaganda to manipulate public opinion against the practice.
The persecution campaign, along with the regime’s state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners, has resulted in an untold number of deaths.
And the regime doesn’t limit its repression to China.
In late 2022, Chinese leader Xi Jinping instructed top officials to ramp up their efforts to destroy Falun Gong globally by escalating disinformation and instigating lawfare campaigns in the West.
Following Xi’s directive, anti-Falun Gong propaganda has spread in Western media and on social media platforms; paid protesters have shown up on New York City’s streets to promote hatred; and violent threatsagainst the Falun Gong community have escalated.
Since August last year, The New York Times has published a dozen articles attacking Falun Gong.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based art group founded by Falun Gong practitioners, has been a prominent target in the intimidation campaign as it tours globally to showcase China before communist rule.
At the panel, Smith pointed to one such threat sent to the Kennedy Center in February that prompted the theater to evacuate on Shen Yun’s opening day. It’s evidence of the uptick in the regime’s repressive activities “right here in Washington,” he said.
“This is in addition to the sudden barrage of bomb and death threats directed earlier this year, not only at Shen Yun performers, but also Falun Gong practitioners and members of Congress supportive of Falun Gong.”
