Press Release

Cambridge, MA—A group of six Harvard students and youth activists disrupted the address of the Ambassador of China to the United States, Xie Feng, by repeatedly speaking out about China’s human rights abuses and aggressions in Tibet, Hong Kong, East Turkestan, and Taiwan. The two Harvard students held banners that read “China Lies, People Die.” The Harvard students sent a clear message that Xie Feng—an advocate of genocide in Tibet and East Turkestan—was not welcome on campus. An organizer from the Greater China Society violently grappled one of the Taiwanese Harvard student activists and dragged her out of the room before police officers intervened and admonished the violent member of the Greater China Society. The other youth activists held the Tibetan flag while chanting “Free Tibet,” “Free Hong Kong,” “Free East Turkestan,” and “Keep Taiwan Free.” 

Due to the repeated intervention of these activists, Ambassador Xie was unable to deliver his speech for approximately 45 minutes past the initial start time, which was supposed to be the opening remarks of the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) China Conference, hosted by the Greater China Society of HKS.

From Tsering Yangchen, Harvard student, Co-President of Students for a Free Tibet Boston chapter:
“My family escaped Tibet because China had massacred tens of thousands of Tibetans during the CCP’s military invasion and colonization of my homeland. Today, in occupied Tibet, China is continuing the genocide of Tibet by ripping 80% of all Tibetan schoolchildren from their families and forcing them to attend colonial boarding schools where speaking Tibetan is forbidden. Xie Feng is an advocate for the genocide of my people, and as a Tibetan Harvard student, it’s my duty to show the world the truth. The occupation must end. Tibet will be free.”

From Cosette Wu, Harvard student, Co-Director of Coalition of Students Resisting the CCP:
“We refuse to allow Xie, a senior diplomat responsible for perpetrating countless injustices against our communities, to benefit from an undeserved platform at our university. He was responsible for turning Hong Kong into a dystopian state during the 2019 protests and enactment of the National Security Law, has made thinly veiled threats of war to intimidate Taiwan, and orchestrated propaganda trips to East Turkestan to whitewash the CCP’s genocide against the Uyghurs.”