Chinese Dissident Successfully Reaches Canada After Fleeing to South Korea
A Chinese dissident, who made headlines for his daring escape to South Korea in an inflatable dinghy, has now reached Canada, as confirmed by his friend on social media this past Saturday.
Dong Guangping, known for his persistent efforts to leave China, was apprehended by South Korean authorities in May while navigating a 3.3-meter inflatable boat near a western South Korean island. This marked his fourth known attempt to escape his homeland.
During a legal proceeding in South Korea, Dong expressed his desire to join his family in Canada. His wife and daughter have already resettled there, according to reports from South Korean media.
On Saturday, Sheng Xue, a Chinese Canadian activist and Dong’s friend, shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Dong had safely landed in Toronto after arriving on an Air Canada flight the previous day.
“He just had a big bowl of noodles with eggs, tomatoes and shrimps,” Sheng Xue wrote. Her post included images of Dong with her in a car and another of him enjoying the meal. Sheng has been instrumental in efforts spanning over a decade to help Dong leave China.
Dong’s history as a former police officer in China includes multiple detentions due to his activism. He lost his position in 1999 after co-signing a letter commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square events, according to Amnesty International.
His activist pursuits have led to significant penalties, including a three-year imprisonment in 2001 for “inciting subversion of state power.” He also faced over eight months of incarceration following his 2014 arrest for engaging in a memorial for Tiananmen victims, as detailed by Amnesty International.
Dong has previously attempted to flee to Thailand and Vietnam but was deported back to China by authorities. He also made an unsuccessful effort to swim to a Taiwanese island.
At this time, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has not issued a statement regarding Dong’s arrival.
