The 'June Fourth' Second Generation: American Perspectives on Olympic Champion Liu Meixian

U.S.-China Confrontation. (Video screenshot)

[People News] On Thursday evening (February 19), American Chinese figure skater Liu Meixian (Alysa Liu) clinched another gold medal in the women's singles free skating event at the Milan Winter Olympics, marking the end of a 24-year drought for the U.S. team in Olympic women's singles gold medals. Many Americans, including political figures, expressed their pride in her achievement. Her background as the daughter of a participant in the 1989 Tiananmen Square student movement, along with her choice to reject the temptations of the Chinese Communist Party in favour of representing the United States, has led some to label her a 'flower of freedom' and an 'American hero.'

'Olympic Champion's Epic Return'

According to a report by Voice of America, the gold medal Liu Meixian won in women's singles figure skating on Thursday is not only her first personal Olympic gold but also the first gold medal for the U.S. team in women's singles skating since the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Following Liu Meixian's victory, the U.S. team expressed pride in filling this long-standing gap. They promptly posted on the X platform: 'Epic return! Alysa Liu wins the Olympic gold medal, becoming the first American athlete to win the Olympic women's figure skating championship since 2002.'

The U.S. figure skating team also proudly declared on the X platform: 'This is our gold medal girl!!'

Liu Meixian, 20 years old this year and born in California, USA, made history at the age of 13 by becoming the youngest women's singles champion in U.S. history. After retiring at 16 following her participation in the Beijing Winter Olympics, she enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles to study psychology. In late 2023, Liu made a remarkable comeback, winning the championship at the 2025 World Championships and ending a 19-year drought for the U.S. in this event. At the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, she not only secured the gold medal in women's singles but also contributed to the U.S. team's victory in the figure skating team event.

Elisa Liu's achievements have not only brought pride to the American sports community but have also resonated with American politicians. The Republican conference of the U.S. House of Representatives took to the X platform to congratulate her: "Congratulations to Elisa Liu, Olympic champion!!"

The Special Committee on U.S.-China Strategic Competition in the U.S. House of Representatives also extended their congratulations on the X platform, stating, "Elisa Liu is an Olympic champion!"

The post highlighted her father and their experiences of being targeted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). "Before the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Elisa and her father were targeted by the CCP due to his involvement in the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement. He was forced to flee China, and now his daughter has become an Olympic champion for the U.S. team."

The 'June Fourth' second generation, who resisted the CCP's temptations

Liu Meixian's background as a 'June Fourth' second generation, along with her and her father's choice to reject the CCP's overtures and represent the U.S., has made Americans especially proud of her.

Former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom took to X to celebrate Liu Meixian's championship victory, stating, "From exile to glory, Alyssa Liu has won the gold medal for the United States team." 

In his post, Kanter expressed his gratitude and comfort regarding Alyssa Liu and her father's decision to reject the temptations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He remarked, "She chose the country that protects her family instead of the one that persecutes them. She chose freedom over tyranny. I am proud of her and find solace in her wearing the red, white, and blue flag." 

According to media reports, similar to Eileen Gu, a Chinese-American skier who grew up in the U.S. but opted to compete for China, Liu Meixian was also a prominent candidate in China's 'naturalisation program' aimed at recruiting overseas athletes for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Liu Meixian's refusal of the CCP's temptations has led to her being frequently compared and contrasted with Eileen Gu in public discourse. 

Liu Meixian's father, Liu Jun (Arthur Liu, originally named Liu Jun Guo), was a significant organiser of the 1989 student movement in Guangzhou, China. Following the brutal suppression of the June Fourth Movement, he was forced to flee and eventually rebuilt his life in the United States, where he established a law firm in San Francisco. 

Prior to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Liu Jun publicly revealed that he and his family had been under the "surveillance" of CCP agents. He recounted an incident where a man, claiming to be an official from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, called him asking for the passport numbers of him and his daughter. Liu Jun refused to provide this information and faced threats and intimidation as a result.

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against five men accused of carrying out a series of brazen and extensive plans to track and harass Chinese dissidents in the United States on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Liu Jun stated that he and his daughter were identified as 'the third dissident' and 'family member' in the indictment related to this criminal case.

Liu Meixian later completed a competition in Beijing with the protection of U.S. federal agents, finishing in seventh place.

'Flower of freedom' and 'Victory of American freedom!'

The human rights organisation China Human Rights posted on the X platform, noting that Liu Jun had 'left home to escape the fear of freedom, and now his daughter confidently blooms on the ice of freedom.' Liu Meixian's glory today is the most powerful response to the CCP regime that seeks to erase dissenting voices. Fearless of oppression, the flower of freedom will ultimately bloom beautifully!'

U.S. Chinese scholar and professor of East Asian and military history at the U.S. Naval Academy, Yu Maochun, offered another interpretation of 'freedom' on the X platform. He commended Liu Jun for granting his daughter the freedom to 'retreat at the peak moment.' He characterised Liu Jun as having nurtured 'free individuals.'

He drew a comparison between Liu Meixian and Gu Ailing, suggesting that Gu Ailing is a product of the 'Tiger Mom' parenting model, where 'the child is treated as a project—gold medals, fame, brand, country—all meticulously planned.'

Liu Jun and Liu Meixian symbolise the triumph of American freedom. 'A father does everything he can, and then faces the hardest challenge—letting his daughter go when she reaches the summit. Medals, money, and momentum—all fade away. Because her life is her own, that is the distinction.'

He wrote, 'Freedom is the power to say “no”—even when the world rewards you for saying “yes,” you still have the right to refuse. True success is not merely about nurturing champions but about fostering free individuals. The true measure of love is not how high your child climbs, but whether they have the freedom to choose to ascend those heights.'

He remarked that Alyssa Liu's success is 'not just a victory in sports, but a victory for American freedom!'

Additionally, some have referred to Liu Meixian as 'the daughter of refugees, an American hero.'
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