An open letter to the signatories of the statement“In Recognition of Sheng Xue”

We are a group of overseas Chinese devoted to the Chinese democracy movement. We are citizens and taxpayers of our adopted homelands, where democracy prevails and citizens are entitled with the right to question any public figure. Ms. Sheng Xue (official name ZANG Xihong) is the present Chair of the Federation for a Democratic China (“FDC”), an NGO with members from many parts of the world. As a public figure, we therefore have the right to question Sheng Xue’s actions and conduct, specifically as they relate to her abuse of power, embezzlement of funds, and involvement in immigration fraud.

The response by Ms. Sheng and her supporters to our questioning has not been to defend her with facts, explanations or clarifications, but instead to label us as slanderers and to accuse us of launching personal attacks against her. Ignoring the facts and questions we have presented, while spurning independent and unbiased investigation into her activities is embracing ignorance.

Since November 2015 a person named Zhang Xiangyang has been protesting in front of the Parliament Hill in Ottawa, holding a placard and alleging that Sheng Xue is a Communist spy. What his motivation is and who is behind him, if anyone, has absolutely nothing to do with us and with our questioning of Sheng Xue. We do not know Mr. Zhang personally and have never had any contact with him. All the information that we know about Mr. Zhang Xiangyang is either written or forwarded by Sheng Xue. Interestingly, Mr. Zhang refuses to give any interviews and present any evidence to support his claims. At the same time, Ms. Sheng Xue uses any opportunity she can to incorrectly state that we and Mr. Zhang Xiangyang are of the same group and the CCP is pulling the strings. We would welcome Mr. Zhang Xiangyang to provide more details regarding his accusations, because without them, it all seems to be a very convenient distraction from the serious allegations made against Sheng Xue. 

We have also noticed that from February 21 to March 7, 2016 the Chinese newspaper Ming Pao Eastern Edition in Toronto has published four (clearly biased) special reports in support of Sheng Xue. A 2001 report on Chinese media censorship by the Jamestown Foundation cited Ming Pao as one of four major overseas Chinese newspapers directly or indirectly controlled by Beijing. 

Ming Pao’s report on March 3, 2016 was titled “Amnesty International finds nothing to indicate Sheng Xue to be a communist spy and will report to the police and the Intelligence Agency for investigation”. It was written that Mr. Michael Craig from Amnesty International supported Sheng Xue and would organize with a dozen supporters a press conference in Toronto city center at 2pm on March 4 on behalf of Sheng Xue.

On March 4, 2016 a joint statement titled “In Recognition of Sheng Xue” signed by a dozen people was widely spread through internet, emails and WeChat. The exaggerated use of words to praise her reminds us of the language used in the deification of Mao Zedong during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. 

After receiving this statement, Liu Xiyu wrote a penetrating comment: Our judgments are based on common sense. Zhou Yongkang (an extremely corrupted Chinese official) might be capable of collecting a million signatures to praise his greatness and unselfishness. Could that be used to prove his innocence? Hitler could also have been capable of finding supporting signatories. However, these tricks do not help. What helps is to keep to the subject. Fencing around questions and trying to persuade non-judicial persons that one is not a spy, but instead more like a saint, does not pass the smell test in this case. 

In the announcement of the press conference it was articulated that the joint statement had been signed by organizations concerned about the Chinese human rights and justice. We would like to ask a few questions here: 

- Which organizations are you representing?
- In which way are you authorized to represent these organizations?
- Do you have any legal documents of authorization?
- If this statement is questioned of its legal liability, is it you or is it your organizations, who will take the responsibilities?

This joint statement begins: “Means of a highly organized people are using disinformation slander in an attempt to Ms. Sheng Xue marginalized, forced into making an isolated situation, she was knocked down, because Ms. Sheng Xue against Chinese tyranny of the most powerful critic one.”

After checking the Chinese version of the Statement, we are able to understand the English version and reformulate it in a grammatically correct way: “Highly organized groups are using disinformation and slander in an attempt to marginalize Ms. Sheng Xue, suppress her, and force her into isolation, because she fights against Chinese tyranny.” 

We would like to ask a few questions here:

- What evidence has helped you to make the above conclusions?
- How many of them are personal impressions? How many of them are ex parte arguments from Sheng Xue? How many of them are facts?

Further, it has come to our attention that there are several Canadians who are native English speakers and signatories of this statement. To them we would like to ask: 

- Have you ever read any of the Chinese articles written by any of us exposing the problems of Sheng Xue?
- Why would you put your name to the English version of the statement, which is so poorly written and contains so many grammatical errors that it is in some parts unintelligible? 

There is an old saying in China: Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; heed only one side and you will be blinded. It is a wise old saying passed down thousands of years and can still be applied today to the case of Sheng Xue. We are of the opinion that it is unwise and surely biased of you to praise Sheng Xue without listening to the arguments of a group of independent individuals, who know the real Sheng Xue.

The main revealers of Sheng Xue’s problems are Mr. Fei Liangyong, Mr. Peng Xiaoming, Mr. Liu Shaofu, Ms. Chen Yiran and Ms. Zhu Rui. All of these names are real and legal names. There is nothing to be afraid of if the questioning is based on facts. The first three are all senior members of the Chinese democracy movement, while Zhu Rui is a novelist, and Chen Yiran is a former board member and bookkeeper of the Shiyuan Project (a project for helping families of political prisoners in China).

Mr. Fei Liangyong is the longest FDC Chairman ever served (Oct. 2003 - Oct. 2012) and the founder and legal representative of the registered NGO "Forum for a Democratic China and Asia".

Mr. Liu Shaofu has been engaging in the Chinese democracy movement since 1978. In July of 1991, he joined "The Chinese Alliance of Democracy (CAD)", the first overseas political opposition organization of mainland Chinese background since 1949. He was elected to be the member of the Supervisory Council of the Alliance for a Democratic China (“ADC”) headquarters and served as the Chair of the ADC Toronto branch. He has been participating in the FDC activities since 2002 and has been the speaker of FDC Canada branch. Since November 2012 he has been holding the position of being the speaker for FDC headquarters.

Mr. Peng Xiaoming has been a Chinese democrat for more than two decades. Seven members of his family were categorized by the CCP as rightists during the anti-rightist movement, and his father was persecuted and died in the CCP prison. He has been the Chair of the Chinese Students and Scholars Organization in Germany since 2002 and the Vice-Chair of FDC headquarters since 2012.

There is another Chinese scholar, Mr. Su Junyan, that needs to be mentioned here. He was the board member of the FDC headquarters and Vice-Chair of the FDC Canada branch. Sheng Xue demanded donations from him and later spread a rumor that Mr. Su wanted to buy the post of Chair of FDC Canada branch. In July 2013 he openly resigned from FDC because Sheng Xue's abuse of power and corruption ran counter to the democratic cause.

All of the six revealers mentioned above have been labeled by Sheng Xue as communist spies.

Since its foundation in 1989, the Federation for a Democratic China (“FDC”) has had 11 chairpersons. Sheng Xue took this position in October 2012. None of the first ten chairpersons have been accused of corruption or fraud. The main revealers of Sheng Xue are members of the Chinese democracy movement who have known her for over 20 years, and bear witness to her abuse of power, fraud and corruption.

The term of Sheng Xue as the Chair of FDC headquarters should have been terminated in October 2014. However, she refused to hold the congress in time for a new election. The following year she asked one of her followers to organize another meeting, which was not recognized by the FDC board. FDC Vice-Chairpersons Mr. Peng Xiaoming, Mr. Tang Yuanjun, Secretary General Mr. Pan Yongzhong, Chair of the Supervisory Council Mr. Chan Luenkwan, former Chair and present board member Mr. FEI Liangyong and former Chair of the Supervisory Council Mr. Zhang Jian were all absent at this meeting. The Vice-Chair Mr. Liang Youcan was present but suggested to postpone the new election since the meeting did not enjoy a proper quorum. However, Sheng Xue disregarded this position and unilaterally moved to renew her chairmanship for another term.

This type of unilateral power grab is unprecedented by the KMT, not even by China’s most notorious political organization the CCP. It was against the Charter of FDC and Sheng Xue was therefore asked to give up her chairmanship. Unexpectedly, she not only refused to resign, but also launched an attack against those who objected to her coup, and who since then receive an unending stream of harassing mail and threats. She may have thought the opposition to her misconduct would die down, but instead the questioning and exposure of her misconduct has continued to grow. In the short period of three years where she has served as Chair, FDC has been dogged by scandal, and is now totally crippled.

Anyone who decides to raise their voices in support of Sheng Xue needs to research these points and question why she faces such outspoken opposition from so many long-term and respected Chinese democracy advocates. The signatories of the joint Statement simply cannot know Sheng Xue's life and deeds as intimately as her former colleagues, associates, and friends. 

Sheng Xue's misconduct has paralyzed the FDC, and it is not only the right but the responsibility of its members to stand up to her. Mr. Michael Craig, if he did indeed author the statement attributed to him, has unfortunately made some hasty conclusions by suggesting that we are supported by the Chinese government, or that we are somehow hiding in the darkness. We are here, Mr. Craig, and you are free to contact us at any time. Just as astonishing is his statement that no Chinese human rights activists or a pro-democracy movement in Canada can meet or exceed the tireless and selfless efforts of Sheng Xue. Clearly these exaggerated compliments (which have been paraphrased above because the text in English is riddled with grammatical errors) read more like slogans, and demonstrate how little knowledge this person actually has about the Chinese Democracy Movement and its supporters. Although Sheng Xue may have done some good in her past, it cannot be reconciled with the fraud and corruption in which she has been involved.

We contacted the Toronto office of Amnesty International Canada (“AI”) to ask whether Mr. Craig is, as reported in the Ming Pao, working for AI and whether AI supported Sheng Xue. Ms. Gloria Nafziger, AI’s China Observer, told us clearly that AI had made no declaration of support for Sheng Xue and that Mr. Michael Craig is not and has never been AI’s China Observer. He was only a volunteer, and left AI a year ago. Mr. Craig’s words and deeds can only represent himself, not Amnesty International.

Though Mr. Michael Craig is not staff member of AI, we still agree with his suggestion to urge the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency (“CSIS”) to intervene in the case of Sheng Xue. We also suggest that CSIS and other departments concerned launched an overall investigation of the accusations of Sheng Xue, relating to false invoices, immigration fraud, embezzlement of donations and funds, which are not insignificant amounts of money. We suggest that translators be hired to turn our Chinese texts into English as references for the investigation. We are sure that the true colors of Sheng Xue will sooner or later be known to the public.

By all means, the authorities should investigate the pornographic, lurid and violent harassment and threats Sheng Xue claims to have experienced, and the persons responsible should be punished. We do not condone such behavior, and we would welcome justice against the persons who sent these to her, especially since they were done in fake social media accounts set up in some of our names to falsely implicate us.

In the announcement of the press conference and in the joint statement “In Recognition of Sheng Xue”, an investigation report is mentioned. To be clear, this bilingual so-called report undertaken by FDC Canadian branch has no credibility and no independence. In fact, facing the questioning from members of FDC and pro-FDC friends, Sheng Xue enlisted only her supporters and allies for the so-called investigation. Those who have actually been involved in the cases and those who questioned Sheng Xue were not asked for evidence, and their positions were not verified. No persons with credibility from the Chinese community in Toronto were invited to either investigate or observe the investigation. This report is an inside job to influence public opinion and is seen as a farce within the Chinese community of Toronto. To gain fame and attention by deception has become part of Sheng Xue’s life and this sham report is only one of the many examples of her misconduct. 

In the joint statement it was written: “Sheng Xue as a writer and reporter (as well as a special correspondent of Radio Free Asia for seventeen years), has won several awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee commemorative medal, Canadian National Magazine Award Correspondents Association and the Canadian depth investigative Journalism Award. “

While she may claim to be a reporter, Sheng Xue has been exposed to be a reporter without journalistic morals. She created news and quite often she made reports about herself as a Chinese democrat. She is no longer associated with Radio Free Asia. As to the awards mentioned, the co-winner and main writer of the investigative reporting Mr. Tom Fennell has been intentionally omitted, and Sheng Xue has never credited his name in any of the context related to this prize.

Regarding the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, it is described in Wikipedia as “a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the sixtieth anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms”. The Canadian medal was handed out to 60,000 citizens and permanent residents of Canada. It is not a special award to Sheng Xue as a writer or reporter, as indicated in the Statement.

It is with great sadness that we read Mr. Craig Offman’s article on the ‘regal’ Sheng Xue, published on March 4, 2016 by The Globe and Mail. Many of us have known Ms. Sheng Xue for years, and find it unfortunate that a respected newspaper such as The Globe and Mail appears to have been so easily manipulated. Ms. Sheng Xue has successfully created a distraction by claiming harassment by us as agents of the Chinese Communist Party in order to not only discredit our ongoing work, but also to draw attention away from the accusations of criminal misconduct made against her by her former associates, colleagues, and friends. By taking up the flag of support for Ms. Sheng Xue, the Globe and Mail has helped her to perpetuate the false narrative that will allow her to continue not only to hide, but also to do further damage to the Chinese democracy movement.

We, the undersigned, would like to emphasize that while we reside in different corners of the globe and may not be “highly organized”, what brings us together is our common pursuit for justice. We would welcome a thorough investigation into all of Ms Sheng Xue's claims, as we are confident that any such independent investigation will lead to the exposure of her misrepresentations, unethical behavior, and criminal misconduct.

Date: March 10, 2016

Co-signers （In alphabetical order）:

Bian Hexiang 

- Democratic activist blacklisted by the Chinese communist regime;
- Executive member of the Central Committee of Chinese Social Democratic Party;
- Chairman of the Coalition of Guards For American Values, Inc.;
- Living at present in New York City, USA.

Chen Yiran

- Witness of the Tiananmen Massacre;
- Immigrated to Canada in 1999;
- Volunteer for FDC Canada since 2003;
- Former board member and bookkeeper of the Shiyuan Project;
- Living at present in Toronto, Canada.

Fei Liangyong

- Graduate of Tsinghua University with a major in nuclear reactor engineering;
- Relocated to Germany in 1987 for further studies at Munich University of Technology;
- Active member of the Chinese democracy movement since 1989;
- Served as Chair of FDC headquarters from 2003 to 2012;
- One of the founders of the register NGO “Forum for a Democratic China and Asia” and board director since 2006;
- Living at present in Germany.

Lu Decheng

- Dissident and one of the three protesters during the 1989 democracy movement who threw eggs filled with pigment to the Portrait of Mao Zedong on the Tiananmen Gate.
- Sentenced in 1989 to 16 years in jail for committing crimes of counterrevolution.
- Left China for Thailand in 2004
- Arrived in Canada on April 11, 2006
- Living at present in Canada.

Liu Shaofu

- Graduate of East China Normal University in Shanghai;
- Participated in the Chinese democracy movement in 1978;
- One of the founders of the underground magazine “Voice of Democracy” ;
- Important member of the overseas Chinese democracy movement in Canada since 1991;
- Serving as the speaker of FDC headquarters since November 2012;
- Living at present in Toronto, Canada.

Liu Xiaodong 

- Freelancer with the pen name “San Mei” (meaning the third sister);
- Author of the book ” Lost in Troubled Times” and over 200 articles denouncing totalitarian systems;
- Dissident blacklisted by the Chinese communist regime;
- Living at present in Chicago, USA.

Peng Xiaoming

- Former editor at Shanghai Literature & Art Publishing House after graduating from Shanghai Fudan Univesity;
- Relocated to Germany to study at University of Bonn for cultural anthropology;
- Editor of the Chinese European Post, the last Chinese newspaper in Europe that is independent and free from censorship;
- Active member of the Chinese democracy movement since 1989;
- Serving as Vice-Chair of FDC headquarters since 2012;
- Living at present in Germany.

Su Junyan

- Graduated from the Department of History of Beijing University;
- Former research associate at the Institute of Ethnic History of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences before leaving China;
- Author of the documentary book “The bloody China” ;
- Author of over 530 commentaries about China issues known as “Su Ming Commentaries” ;
- Former board member of FDC headquarters and Vice-Chair of FDC Canada branch;
- Living at present in Toronto, Canada.

Xiao Hong

- Freelancer with the pen name “Xiao Ping Tou”;
- Researcher of the history of the Chinese Cultural Revolution;
- Living at present in Denmark.

Zhu Rui

- Writer and novelist with writings focused on Tibet issues;
- Publications include novels, essays and political commentaries;
- Living at present in Canada.

Man kwong Han 

－Member of the Federation for a Democratic China (FDC) since 1990, one of the earliest board members of FDC Toronto subsection;
－Present member of the Supervisory Council of FDC Canada branch;

－ Living currently in Toronto, Canada.