2. I didn’t want to go to Hong Kong, so I wouldn’t disturb Hongkongers’ daily lives.

Previously on... Fei Long Liu, a Cantonese man, has been organising protests and rallies for Hong Kong in the Netherlands. Although he staged the demonstrations alone, he still received support from Hongkongers and foreigners.

“I climbed the ‘Firewall’ so that I could go on Facebook and talk with Hongkongers.” Born in the 1980s in a small city in Guangdong, Fei Long Liu grew up surrounded by Hong Kong culture, from music to films to TV dramas. He fell in love with the grassroots and down-to-earth Hong Kong that was full of human warmth. Later, he learned how to bypass China’s internet censorship and join various Hong Kong forums and groups. There, he could communicate with Hongkongers and get to know the Hong Kong he had always longed for. Even today, his computer still stores 678 GB of Cantopop songs. That’s probably more than most Hongkongers have.

“I didn’t want to go to Hong Kong, so I wouldn’t disturb Hongkongers’ daily lives.” Fei Long Liu has never truly set foot in Hong Kong. The closest he came was when he travelled to the Netherlands to apply for asylum, transiting through Hong Kong. It was partly because Hong Kong has been deeply “reddening” (influenced by the Chinese Communist Party) and is no longer a place that he admired as a child. On the other hand, he also noticed the social problems caused by mainland tourists to Hong Kong. He did not want to be one of them and disrupt Hongkongers’ lives. Therefore, his physical connection to Hong Kong so far has been limited to some protest flags and fridge magnets of Mong Kok and Central that he bought at the Hong Kong International Airport.

“It’s a pity I couldn’t stand up for Hong Kong in 2019.” Inside China, Fei Long Liu actively spoke out on different issues. That attracted the attention of the police, who visited his home several times. Finally, in 2018, Fei Long Liu was arrested for his outspoken demeanour. Although released on bail and given a suspended sentence, he then spent the next three years under close surveillance, living in constant fear of imprisonment.. There was no chance for him to join the Hong Kong protests. After three years, he decided to leave China to seek asylum in the Netherlands. Right after having his political asylum granted, he began speaking out for Hong Kong in Amsterdam’s Dam Square and later fundraising for the Bonham Tree Aid.

“I’m not a Hongkonger. Holding the Hong Kong flag doesn’t feel right.” Although he has long spoken up for Hong Kong, Fei Long Liu still feels there is an invisible distance between him and both the city and its people. He has attended rallies organised by other communities resisting the CCP, such as Uyghurs and Tibetans. Seeing each group carry its own flag, he felt it was not right for him, as a non-Hongkonger, to hold the Hong Kong flag. Instead, he opted for the Kapok flag. Besides, he has not managed to “gather around the fire” with the Hong Kong community in the Netherlands. Hong Kong organisations there focus more on holding cultural events such as exhibitions and markets to promote Hong Kong culture and promote a better understanding of Hong Kong and its people to local society. Fei Long Liu appreciates these efforts but is still a strong believer in the importance of rallies and protests.

“Who says rallies are pointless?!” In February 2024, Fei Long Liu, together with other groups oppressed by the CCP, held a rally in the Hague to protest the local authorities’ permission for a pro-CCP Chinese organisation to host its Chinese New Year celebrations inside the Hague City Hall. At its core, this would allow the CCP to spread propaganda to a wide audience.

Given their efforts in putting pressure on the local authorities, the event was finally cancelled, which had been held for 20 years. The pro-CCP organisation then moved the event to Rotterdam, and Fei Long Liu is planning to join other groups there to continue protesting. (To be continued…)

This piece is edited and illustrated by @WL.AandD

* Bonham Tree Aid distributes £380 a month to imprisoned protesters’ families in need for sustenance to alleviate their difficulty in meeting the costs of living. Founded in October 2021, Bonham Tree Aid has helped 300 families to date and is currently supporting 112 families. There are 112 families on its waiting list, awaiting emergency assistance.

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