Chloe Cheung, a 19-year-old activist and communications assistant in the UK, has become a prominent voice advocating for democracy in Hong Kong. Her activism has now taken a more frightening turn. A Chinese bounty is now on her head, escalating her fight for freedom. This bounty isn’t simply a threat. It symbolizes the ongoing battle against all forms of oppression for those who dare to protest.
Cheung co-founded the advocacy group Hong Kongers in Leeds. The organization seeks to hold accountable those who threaten democracy and freedom in Hong Kong. She achieved international prominence when she led successful protests against plans for a huge new Chinese ‘super embassy’ in London. She was carrying a placard with the information “£100,000 – wanted,” which made the Chinese government furious during this protest.
In 2020, her family fled the increasing authoritarianism in Hong Kong. Their relocation to Leeds when she was only 15 meant a break from all this. Since then, Cheung has been an outspoken opponent of the Chinese government. She is committed to taking a leading role in international human rights discussions and promoting accountability across the globe. At only 18 years of age, she had the audacity to submit a 41-page report to the United Nations. Her winning submission depicted the eyes of women protestors who experienced the protests that rocked Hong Kong between 2019 and 2020.
Despite her resolve, Cheung faces significant challenges. Along the way, she has withstood the constant stream of sexualized harassment and abuse on social media. This underscores the extreme danger that activists face when they resist power. One incident was so bad that she was still shaken several days later. When two “suspicious-looking” Chinese men trailed her from an event to a restaurant, she worried for her safety.
Cheung then dropped this killer bombshell. She shared that her arrest warrant, with a photo of her as an 11-year-old child, has been circulated. This warrant is a foreboding testament to her activism and all that it entails. Her parents worried she would be imprisoned for her radical ideas. This fear compelled them to flee Hong Kong and seek asylum in the UK.
Cheung’s activism has taken a personal toll. She understands that she has already lost out on numerous job prospects with firms that maintain commercial connections to China. The political climate has created an environment where, after this experience, she couldn’t find a job without selling out her ideals.
“I have shut off a lot of job opportunities with any company that has business ties or trade with China. They won’t hire me now,” – Cheung.
These obstacles notwithstanding, Cheung is undaunted in her resolve to continue to speak out for democracy in Hong Kong. She acknowledges that her high public profile constrains her future options but won’t let that shut her up.
“I don’t expect to live a normal life, but compared with the people in prison back in Hong Kong, my sacrifice is nothing. I really want to see a free Hong Kong so if my public role can help the situation a little bit, it will be worthwhile,” – Cheung.
Her journey as activist started with a naive optimism. At 14, she celebrated her birthday by joining her first protest. She anticipated a nonviolent protest. After all, her education had conditioned her to have faith in these principles of free speech and free press. The reality was starkly different.
“At the time I attended my first protest, I was expecting it to be completely peaceful because I was taught at school that we have freedom of speech and press in Hong Kong,” – Cheung.
She just witnessed police brutality first-hand. Officers responded by spraying protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets, terrifyingly arresting people and dragging them off to jail. This moment shattered her worldview.
“Then suddenly, the police started shooting teargas and rubber bullets at us and started arresting people really violently; dragging protesters and standing on their necks. I was just 14 and my worldview completely changed,” – Cheung.
This disillusionment pushed Cheung to realize that the education she had received had been distorted by propaganda.
“I realised whatever we had been learning in school was a lie,” – Cheung.
As she did so, the powerful targeted her for destruction and attempted to destroy her indomitable voice. Cheung thinks that they are meant to discourage people from showing up and publicly sharing their dissent.
“They want to stop others from speaking out publicly, but I know I am fortunate to have my family here in the UK,” – Cheung.
Cheung’s parents knew that their daughter was fierce and headstrong from a young age. They worried for her safety and future, knowing that standing up for them could mean deadly repercussions.
“They knew I was someone who doesn’t know how to shut up. They didn’t want either of us to end up in prison for speaking our mind,” – Cheung.
We must not forget the psychological toll of existing under such a constant threat. Cheung calls the bounty placed on her head psychological warfare, and she’s not wrong. Its real intent, however, is to intimidate critics into silence.
“The bounty will follow me for ever. It’s a form of psychological warfare – telling the world that dissent has no safe haven. Even if you were just a teenager when you spoke out, you’re not safe,” – Cheung.