Stability Maintenance Crisis: Cultural Revolution–Like Controls Return, Returnees Struggle

This photo, taken on October 8, 2020, shows armed police patrolling a commercial street in Beijing during a holiday. A police officer wearing a red armband sits at the alley entrance, constantly monitoring the movements of the public. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

[People News] The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has recently intensified its efforts to tighten social control. After a large-scale confiscation of passports, new categories of 'black five types' have been introduced, which include rights defence lawyers, underground religious groups, dissidents, online leaders, and vulnerable populations. Recently, some local governments have issued internal guidelines that classify returnee scholars as 'foreign forces,' leading to a significant increase in control measures.

Certain local governments have directed community grid workers to monitor returnees, focusing on their speech and opinions; the daily behaviours, social interactions, and family backgrounds of returnees have become focal points for community observation. Returnee scholars, once regarded as social elites, have now fallen from grace, facing suspicions of being influenced by Western ideologies and even being labelled as spies.

During their job searches, returnee scholars encounter restrictions from some companies or specific positions, often being branded as 'offshore patriots' and 'brainwashed by the West.' Local authorities have placed returnees on risk management lists within public security or community frameworks, subjecting their movements and daily activities to early warnings and surveillance.

The classification of returnee scholars as foreign forces is linked to shifts in both domestic and international contexts, the CCP's pessimism regarding future developments, and a general rise in social confrontational sentiments.

With a bleak economic outlook, instability within the party ranks, and heightened hostility from Western nations, the current situation is the most severe it has been in over forty years. Faced with numerous challenges and no clear solutions, the future is likely to deteriorate further—a reality that cannot be changed by the CCP's will. To prepare for potential social unrest, the only viable strategy is to plan ahead, enhance social control proactively, and eliminate sources of turmoil.

Xi Jinping is making relentless efforts to address internal issues. In stark contrast to the West's decoupling and containment strategies, he has confiscated the overseas passports of officials and their families, using border control to intimidate foreign businessmen. These actions are all aimed at preventing potential political instability. With no intention of aligning with the world and preparing for military confrontation with the United States, internal social unrest seems unavoidable. Consequently, in terms of maintaining stability and control, the regime appears to be reverting to the oppressive atmosphere reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution, categorising ordinary Chinese citizens into different classes and treating them with varying degrees of favour, which they believe is a safer approach.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students go abroad for their studies, initially determined to pursue education, with their families bearing significant financial burdens and enduring hardships. They expected that upon returning with their degrees, they would be in a superior position and enjoy a stable life. However, they have faced economic downturns, and instead of securing jobs, many have found themselves delivering takeout. As if that were not tragic enough, they now face government discrimination, being treated as hostile forces. One can imagine them reflecting on their choices at night, only to let out a deep sigh.

Among those returnees who are openly discriminated against by the Chinese Communist Party, some genuinely love their country and aspire to serve it; some have been brainwashed by the CCP and willingly become subservient; some faced setbacks abroad and ultimately chose to return; and some were drawn back by family ties.

Those who once resolutely gave up opportunities to settle and work in the United States and Europe, choosing to return to their homeland, now find themselves facing unemployment and government discrimination. If they wish to go abroad again, their passports may have already been confiscated. Even if they have obtained foreign citizenship, if the government decides to impose border control on them, they cannot escape. This situation exemplifies the helplessness of life choices.

It is difficult to determine whether those who return to the mainland out of an absolute sense of patriotism make up the majority. However, the key question is: when you make one of the most significant choices in your life, have you taken the time to carefully consider whether the country you wish to serve is truly deserving of your emotional commitment?

First, as a citizen of this country, do you enjoy the rights that every citizen should have? To put it simply, is this country truly yours, or is it merely the domain of the Communist Party that governs it? If it is just the Communist Party's country, then unless you are a party member, it has no relevance to you. When you return, you are serving only the Communist Party's interests, not your own.

Second, it is essential to study a bit of history to grasp the inherently evil nature of the Communist Party. When the Communist Party was fighting for power, it claimed to aim for the benefit of the working class and to eliminate exploitation and oppression. However, after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seized power, it subjected the working class to even harsher exploitation and oppression. During its rise, the CCP portrayed intellectuals and democratic parties as allies, but once in power, these individuals became targets for political purges.

Lastly, it is crucial to recognise that circumstances change. In the past, the CCP sought assistance from others and had to temporarily relinquish some of its dictatorial powers. Today, the CCP has turned against the world, prioritising stability amid economic decline, with regime security taking precedence. Returnees are now viewed as political agents of Western democratic nations, their identities completely transformed.

The CCP treats everyone uniformly, capable of changing its demeanour at any moment. Sometimes it presents itself as a benefactor, at other times as an old friend, occasionally as a stranger, and at times as an enemy. As circumstances evolve, the status of returnees has significantly diminished. Those who once willingly entered the trap now find it nearly impossible to escape.

To those who are staunch supporters of the party, I can only say with a hint of malice, 'You brought this upon yourselves.' For the innocent scholars who made unfortunate choices, I can only extend my sympathy. As for those compatriots who continue to enjoy the freedoms of Western academia and thought, I am genuinely happy for them.

In life, there are always one or two choices that can be a matter of life and death; making the wrong choice even once can lead to a lifetime of regret. When the Kuomintang retreated from the mainland, intellectuals faced painful lessons regarding the decision to stay or leave; those who fled lived comfortably, while those who remained faced devastation—just a moment's difference in choice, but by the time one realises it, a century has passed.

For those returnees still in the mainland, if you can leave, do so quickly; for those still abroad considering a return, think it through carefully. For those who are not directly involved, this situation offers a deeper understanding of the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party.

A person's fate is the sum of all the certainties and uncertainties in life, the totality of one's character and understanding, and the interaction between the subjective and objective worlds—life and death, fortune and misfortune, should not be taken lightly.

Xi Jinping has indicated a new direction for the future of China, emphasising that, regardless of economic and livelihood issues, maintaining stability by any means necessary is the top priority. No matter where one is, Chinese people should be mentally prepared for this; everyone should strive to maintain their balance and seek their own fortunes—let it be noted: a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.

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