Youth Resistance in China

Why the blank paper became a symbol of an era

After the fire in Urumqi in November 2022, condolences and protests occurred in many universities and cities. Participants held up a blank sheet of paper without words, using silence to present the reality that cannot be expressed freely. Amnesty International recorded personal narratives from participants in the movement; Human Rights Watch regarded it as an important moment for the political awakening of many Chinese youth.

The white paper movement is not the end of youth public action. For a long time, students and youth workers have also expressed their demands through open letters, art, signatures, complaints, and peaceful gatherings on issues such as campus governance, labor security, housing, gender equality, environment, and cultural expression.

How to understand these actions

Freedom House’s China Dissent Monitor continues to compile public reports of offline actions and online dissent. Its data shows that public protests in China are scattered throughout the country, with participants including workers, property owners, rural residents, students, parents and other groups; strict scrutiny means that publicly visible records are likely to be lower than the actual number of occurrences.

This topic focuses on facts, context, and human situations; it does not provide confrontation techniques or action plans. We stand for the principles of non-violence, civil rights and mutual respect, and do not encourage hatred or harm because of differences of opinion.