White Paper Movement" pulls "foreign forces"? US lawmakers from both parties: 

After a spate of protests in many parts of China over the weekend, Beijing said this week it would "crack down on the infiltration of hostile forces," with some pro-government commentators accusing "foreign forces" of provoking the protests. A number of members of both parties in the US Congress said that in the context of the CCP's control of the network, "how can foreign forces incite protests." Other lawmakers said it was their inner desire for freedom that drove people to the streets, suggesting that Mr. Xi "needs to learn a lesson."


Anti-lockdown demonstrations in several Chinese cities over the weekend not only attracted global attention, but also spread everywhere.

As the protests dragged on, accusations on Chinese social media and online that "foreign forces" were behind the demonstrations began to emerge, trying to set the tone for the protests as "caused by external forces."

On November 29, an article appeared on the Chinese Internet entitled "The Spread of Color Revolutionary Forces: Premeditated Disturbances in Many Places, Exposed by Foreign Forces." The content refers to "typical color revolutions in many places in China, such as European-American freedom slogans, Hong Kong independence-style expression content, young people being encouraged to participate, 'representatives' who do not conform to the characteristics of the local masses are in the leader, and even Hong Kong, Taiwan, and foreign faces are intertwined, and there are also Western 'missionaries'." Their style of making troubles is a typical color revolution technique.”

There are also persistent rumors on Chinese social media that "foreign forces" are behind the "white paper movement." Several screenshots of chats circulating online showed that many people said they had "heard" that some people at the protest sites offered 200 to 500 yuan per person and hired ordinary people to protest.

Beijing authorities and Chinese state media have not yet officially acknowledged spontaneous demonstrations across China but have publicly called for "repression" of "hostile forces."

According to the minutes of a meeting of the Communist Party's Political and Legal Affairs Commission, China's top security body, released Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency mentioned the call for "resolutely cracking down on the infiltration and sabotage activities of hostile forces in accordance with the law." Tuesday's note did not directly mention the wave of protests across China, but it did show the party's determination to uphold its rule.

"The CCP controls everything, how can foreign forces incite protests?"

Members of both parties in Congress have dismissed claims that "foreign forces" or "hostile forces" are linked to this wave of protests that have erupted in various parts of China.

"The CCP controls the Internet, and everything is censored in China. So I don't know how it is possible for foreign forces to incite protests," said Senco Rubio, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Marco Rubio, R-FL, told me on Tuesday that "foreign forces simply cannot incite anything in China, it's an environment where the media is completely controlled." ”

Republican U.S. Senator Rubio of Florida has introduced a number of Chinese-rights-related bills in Congress and advocated a tough stance against Beijing on many issues in the U.S.-China relationship.

Many bills in Congress that support human rights issues in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet have also been written or co-signed by Senator Rubio. On the Taiwan issue, Rubio has also repeatedly expressed support for improving the cooperative relationship between Washington and Taipei.

Chinese media often label Rubio as an "anti-China congressman," and the Beijing government has twice imposed sanctions on Rubio, including banning him from entering China. On more than one occasion, though, Rubio has said he is proud of being sanctioned by Beijing.

Rubio told me that the Chinese demonstrators participating in the protest were ordinary people, "they live in a totalitarian regime, they are tired of being locked down at home, unable to go out and living normally." ”

"Obviously, the Chinese government has a strong repressive capacity, and at some point, they will crack down [on protests], but that's the reality," Rubio said.

He went on to warn, "I think that should tell us, if they are willing to block their own people in that harsh, in that way, if they become the most powerful country in the world, what will they do to everyone else?"”

Sen Risch, top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Jim Risch, R-ID, said Wednesday that he believes that the people who link the protests to "foreign forces" are "usually the people who are trying to make excuses."

"We all know what caused [the protests], and it wasn't any foreign influence anyway, and that's what drove it to the hunger for freedom," Rishi told me.

Sen. Sen Menendez, a Democrat and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Bob Menendez, D-NJ) agrees.

"China always blames other people for its faults," Senator Menendez said, "and it's not any foreign government or involved, they're just speaking out."”

Menendez went on to say that Chinese people have been living under an incredibly authoritarian government, especially since the Chinese government's strict enforcement of these restrictions is unbearable for many. He used this as a warning to China's leader, Xi Jinping: Learn from the popular protests.

"If you have a pressure cooker and you boil all the time, unless you have a valve to release the pressure, eventually he will explode. Xi Jinping thinks he can hit hard, no one will question him, and I think he needs to learn his lesson," Menendez said Wednesday in response to questions from me.

It is worth noting that while accusing "foreign forces" of inciting social discontent is a common tactic used by the Chinese authorities, this attempt to shift the blame for the outbreak of protests to "foreign forces" is clearly less effective among the Chinese people.

Numerous videos online show that Chinese demonstrators involved in what is widely known as the "white paper movement" or "white paper revolution" often directly refute and mock accusations of "foreign forces."

"Disinformation should not be allowed to fill the silent gap" Both parties in Congress have actively expressed support for the Chinese protesters

Members of both parties in the US Congress have repeatedly spoken out this week to support this "white paper movement" protests that are anti-lockdown, anti-"zero" and fighting for freedom.

Nearly half of the Senate members of the Senate sent a joint letter Thursday to Qin Gang, China's ambassador to the United States, saying Congress was closely monitoring the progress of peaceful protests in China and warning China against any violent crackdown on domestic protests, saying it would cause "tremendous damage" to U.S.-China relations.

"We warn the CCP in the strongest possible terms not to once again violently suppress peaceful Chinese protesters who just want more freedom," the letter said. If that happens, we believe it will have serious consequences for the U.S.-China relationship and cause great damage to it.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, spoke Tuesday in a harsh criticism of China's "zero" policy.

"The Chinese people have had enough of these nearly three years of dystopia," he said. Now their patience has run out, and residents of major cities across China have taken to the streets to speak out. ”

"Local citizen protests are not uncommon in China, but now they look different, or more broad, bolder and courageous, more tolerable," McConnell said.

Sen. Cornyn, Republican member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. John Cornyn, R-TX, told VOA that the United States should support the Chinese protesters "who aspire to the freedom, prosperity and opportunity that we in the United States have."

Mr. Koning said he was concerned that if the U.S. government did not make its position clear, it would create room for misunderstanding.

"When our leadership, including the White House, remains silent, that window is filled by disinformation and propaganda that may come from China itself, creating a narrative that all this is a grand conspiracy in democracies, including the United States," Cornyn said. ”

Senator Menendez also believes that all countries should speak out in support of the Chinese protesters.

"There's nothing worse than when you speak out in one country and no one hears you," Menendez said, "so ultimately, I think it's right for other countries to speak out in support of those protesters who are protesting within their own countries because their rights are being violated." Of course, from the United States perspective, I advocate for the continuation of this and the strengthening of these practices. ”

The Biden administration's response to the Chinese protests has been more cautious than the reaction of members of both parties in Congress.

John Kirby, the White House NSC strategic communications coordinator, reiterated in an interview with VOA Friday that the Biden administration has always taken seriously the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful protest around the world.

"We've also been talking about this very clearly and consistently, very openly, whether living in a democracy or an authoritarian regime, that citizens have fundamental freedoms to assemble freely without fear, without intimidation and, of course, without violence, to have their voices heard on issues that are important to them," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking to NBC correspondent and presenter Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest on the Chinese protests, responded that the Chinese government's crackdown on protesters showed "signs of weakness."

"In any country where you see people trying to speak out, trying to speak out, protesting peacefully to show their displeasure, whatever the problem, —— in any country, when we see something like this happening, and then we see a massive repression by the government, it's not a sign of strength, it's a sign of weakness," Blinken said.