The Chinese Communist Party Fears a "Cycling Revolution": Thousands Participate in Night Rides Viewed as a Political Stability Threat by Authorities

Zhengzhou university students suddenly embarked on a large-scale "night raid" to Kaifeng(Online image)

[People News] Originally intended to stimulate the local economy and tourism, the "Night Ride to Kaifeng" event organized by college students has been perceived as a political incident by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities, who have taken measures to maintain stability by halting the event. They closed campuses, blocked roads, locked bikes, summoned and sanctioned students, among other actions. The CCP's missteps in creating enemies have sparked student protests nationwide, with students in multiple regions following suit. Observers suggest that a “Bicycle Revolution” or “Cycling Revolution,” similar to the "White Paper Revolution," may be taking place across mainland China.

Patriotic Night Rides Once Approved by the Government

The “Night Ride” originated with university students in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, inspired by students who cycled over 50 kilometers to Kaifeng to taste soup dumplings. To promote economic and tourism development, Kaifeng authorities also announced free entry to several attractions at night for students. On November 4, Kaifeng Mayor Wu Haiyan stated that they would make full preparations in advance for large, random tourist flows, optimize night tour routes, and ensure visitor safety.

CCP state media also helped promote the event. A report from Zhengzhou Daily on November 4 emphasized that the Zhengkai Avenue could meet night-riding needs; Guangming Daily on November 5 praised the activity as a “mutual pursuit” filled with “vitality, passion, and youth”; People's Daily on November 5 also rallied for “Night Ride to Kaifeng,” with poetic quotes like, “Yearning to buy osmanthus flowers with wine to share, a journey like youth will never be again.”

The recreational event grew from tens of thousands on November 2 to over 200,000 participants by November 8. The students had no intentions of protesting; instead, they showed strong “patriotism.” Some held the five-star flag, singing the so-called “national anthem,” while others held signs reading “The Motherland Must and Will Be Unified.” The event also attracted students from nearby provinces and even social youth and retired soldiers.

Authorities Issue a Ban

Nevertheless, the CCP, with its highly sensitive nerves, took notice. Possibly recalling the “White Paper Revolution” two years ago, the Hong Kong anti-extradition protests, and even the 1989 student movement, the CCP urgently ordered a comprehensive ban. Several universities in Henan Province instructed students to return to campus within a deadline and then successively closed campuses, forbidding students from leaving. Zhengzhou and Kaifeng traffic police implemented a roadblock on the non-motorized lanes of the Zhengzhou section of Zhengkai Avenue for nearly a day. Videos online showed only police cars patrolling the road.

Even though the CCP knew the students’ activities were recreational, without protest intent, the sight of citizens waving the “national flag” and singing revolutionary songs during rights protests across China led police to exercise caution in suppressing the movement.

As a result, authorities pressured schools and bike-sharing companies to block the rides at the source.

A university in Henan notified students that the provincial education department and the school had just held a meeting regarding night rides…(the cycling teams) involved many members of society, including certain antisocial or foreign hostile forces with ulterior motives… The school warned students in WeChat groups: “The department has already called; this incident has escalated into a political movement. Participation will ruin a lifetime. Students must contact those riding at night and tell them to return quickly.”

Meanwhile, the three major bike-sharing platforms—Hello Bike, Qingju, and Meituan—promptly issued a joint announcement urging users to follow riding rules, “not to ride outside designated areas.” If riders did so, a voice reminder would be issued, and if they ignored the warning for three minutes, the bike would be “forcibly locked,” with a retrieval fee charged according to regulations.

Protests Quickly Spread

However, the riding ban swiftly triggered protests in various places. In universities where campuses were closed, walls were knocked down. In Beijing and other regions, students supported the movement with cycling actions, opposing the riding ban.

On the night of November 10, it was reported that food vendors delivering to students in Anyang, Henan, knocked down the back gate and walls of Anyang University to protest the campus lockdown that prevented them from selling food to students.

Simultaneously, videos of students in other regions imitating the Zhengzhou night ride continued to emerge: university students around Beijing rode at night to Tiananmen Square; Beijing students cycled to Tianjin; tens of thousands of students in Nanjing rode to Chaohu, Anhui; Chengdu students headed to Dujiangyan; Wuhan students went to Lingbo Gate at East Lake; and Xi'an students rode at night to Xianyang. Students in Shandong and Tianjin were also planning to take action. One netizen commented that it seemed like “a new wave of student movements in solidarity.”

Perhaps, these spontaneous night rides ignited a collective unconscious in more people, where they realized that a simple action concealed a silent questioning of the social system, doubt about the current social environment, and a deep-seated dissatisfaction and helplessness. Consequently, a powerful wave of resonant actions emerged.

Recent leaked government documents indicate that not only Henan’s universities but also Shanxi and Shaanxi have issued notifications, monitoring off-campus riding activities. The CCP is intensifying nationwide defenses to prevent any large-scale collective action by college students.

The CCP Creates Its Own Enemies

So, do the 200,000 young people doing the same thing at the same time constitute the “dangerous targets” the CCP perceives?

One student participant said, “Life is too dull, and there’s no direction after graduation. I just feel that group activities give people a sense of security.”

Another said, “After graduation, there’s no job. Living a life just to get by, becoming a soul-less skeleton, is worse than enjoying one’s youth while it’s still lively.”

In a society where life is bleak, and the future looks dark amidst economic recession and soaring unemployment, where rules are everywhere, the scariest thing for young people is not seeing a future or hope. They lack the power to resist, and “lying flat” can only be a temporary coping strategy. Using their best years to resist and trade for a mediocre life and meaningless existence is something they are unwilling to accept.

A night of unrestrained pleasure, a rare feeling of “winning” without any loss, hurting no one, and without breaking the law—is it really a threat? China's social issues today continue to spark boundless pain and resentment, all seeking an outlet.

However, the CCP, in its increasingly fragile state, sees things differently. It can never view things poetically; any large-scale activity, intentional or not, is viewed as a black swan spreading its wings or a gray rhino raising its hoof.

Thus, various departments and media…changed their tune overnight, speaking with a unified voice, taking collective action to ban and suppress.

Mr. Liang, a political and economic analyst long observing China, said, “The CCP’s social governance often borrows and replicates methods, with certain measures becoming routine. For instance, the current campus closures continue the methods of pandemic management, and the centralized collection and control during the pandemic were extensions of the mass detentions targeting Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Arrests during Halloween were a continuation of arrests from Hong Kong’s anti-extradition movement. This is a method the CCP has learned to govern its people, and as the economy continues to decline, campus closures will likely be frequently used against collective student actions.”

He added, “The enemy is created by you (the CCP) yourself; your imagination plays a big role.”

Historically and currently, this is so. Recently, Halloween arrests in certain cities and now the student apologies—how different are they?

The CCP fears the “White Paper Movement.” Last November, on the anniversary of the “White Paper Movement,” the CCP banned all commemorative actions. Now, the tens of thousands riding to Kaifeng have also been suppressed, but it may spread nationwide.

Social unrest persists, and the CCP’s fears are never resolved. A trivial, non-political matter can potentially trigger different forms and scales of resistance, gradually escalating and worsening. A slight sound can make the CCP authorities tremble. Social instability foreshadows a frightening future, drawing ever closer. If a massive collapse suddenly occurs, it would not be surprising at all.