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Statement on the fifth China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue
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Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. Its gate is marked with big chinese word 拆, which in China, this word is marked on buildings that are slated to be demolished and literally mean “dismantle”
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While the Chinese delegation for the fifth China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) began talks with its American counterparts and the Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi wrote in the Washington Post describing the cooperation between China and the United States as an “anchor” for world peace and stability, ensuring that China’s development is not a threat to other countries, three big graffiti-ed Chinese words “拆” appeared on the front gate of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC. In China, the word “拆” is marked on buildings that are slated to be demolished and literally mean “dismantle”. This character clearly expresses the desire for the dismantling of the Chinese Embassy and the deep resentment towards the Chinese Communist regime’s lies and its heavy-handed policy of demolishing people’s homes. This policy of removing people from their land by force for China’s corrupt economic development serves as proof that China’s advancement is by no means peaceful and stable.
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Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C.
July 10th, 2013
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Citizen Power for China, also known as Initiatives for China, has recently launched a campaign, code named the Sparrow Initiative (2nd stage), to defend land rights of the Chinese people and obtain justice for the victims of China’s violent dismantling and forced eviction activities. We believe everyone deserves to have a home, even a sparrow–. Any brutal action in taking that basic right away from the Chinese people is absolutely unacceptable.
Citizen Power for China notes that forced dismantling and evictions are currently a common occurrence in China; 50 to 60 million Chinese citizens have lost their land because of unfair seizures since the start of China’s modern economic boom. These forced removals are a growing source of unrest and systematic corruption, and account for more than 80% of all formal petitions of grievances filed annually with the Chinese government. Additionally, government land grabbing and related abuses cause over 65% of all rural mass protests; this amounts to tens of thousands of mass protests every year.
We firmly believe that conflicts between the Chinese government and common land owners will intensify in the next decade as local governments at every level face severe financial pressures and crises. Officials from these local municipalities will have to resort to seizing more land from the people for development to boost revenues and to continue enriching themselves. The systematic, widespread, and grave violations of human rights may become far worse than anyone can expect; massive anger and destabilizing violence could erupt and tragedy will surely follow.
We therefore strongly urge the U.S. delegation to put this issue on the table during the fifth China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue and demand the Chinese regime end such practice, and compensate the victims fairly.
We also urge the new Chinese leadership to take initiatives to reverse its economic development policy and place the Chinese people’s well-being first, and to start constitutional and political reforms to guarantee basic human rights, including land rights for the Chinese people, and take measures to ensure each and every Chinese citizen has a home of their own.
Citizen Power for China vows to continue its efforts in promoting and supporting Chinese defenders of land rights and expanding the “Sparrow Initiative” throughout China. We are dedicated to ending the practice of forced eviction and to obtaining fair compensation for the victims of this illegal practice.
The victims of forced eviction who joined Sparrow Initiative movement will continue their demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. for a indefinite time. Interviews, supports and visits are welcomed.
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