Growing up in China, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) controls all media and education, many young people develop strong nationalist sentiments from an early age. Those who fervently defend the CCP and aggressively promote its narratives online are often called “Little Pinks.”
David, a native of rural Shandong who now resides in Toronto, Canada, was once a textbook example of a Little Pink. He believed wholeheartedly in the strength of his motherland and saw the CCP as benevolent. At one point, he was so devoted that he knelt before his television in celebration when Beijing won its Olympic bid.
However, his experiences abroad shattered these illusions, leading him to become a firm advocate for democracy. This is his story.
Working in Singapore opened David’s eyes to a different world
Born and raised in rural Shandong, David was immersed in state-controlled media from a young age. Whether through television, newspapers, or school lessons, the messaging was uniform — China was great, the Party was benevolent, and loving the CCP was synonymous with patriotism.
However, his worldview shifted dramatically when he moved to Singapore for work. In his 30s, he took a job as a driver for a local company, and it was there that he first encountered alternative perspectives through YouTube and Twitter — platforms banned in China.
“The realization was painful,” David recalled. “Everything I had believed since childhood suddenly seemed like a lie. It felt as though I had been living in a carefully constructed illusion.”
His initial doubts led him to examine real-world issues affecting everyday Chinese citizens. Food safety scandals — tainted baby formula, counterfeit vaccines, and excessive chemical additives — were not just distant headlines but tangible threats to millions of families.
“These weren’t just news stories; they were happening all around us,” David said. “When you realize that your relatives and friends’ children might be drinking toxic milk or receiving fake vaccines, the fear and anger are indescribable.”
The tipping point came when he began researching human rights abuses. He once dismissed reports of forced organ harvesting as mere rumors. But as he delved deeper, he discovered irrefutable evidence that these atrocities were not only real, but widespread, even targeting ordinary citizens and students.
“That was when I saw the CCP’s brutality for what it really was,” David said.
David came to understand that China’s problems ran far deeper than just corruption or economic inequality. At its core, he saw the CCP as an authoritarian regime focused solely on maintaining control, rather than serving the people.
Experiencing the benefits of democracy
David’s years in Singapore further exposed the stark contrast between democratic governance and authoritarian rule. While Singapore maintains strict social controls, he observed that its government prioritized public welfare, efficiency, and the rule of law — things he had never experienced in China.
“For the first time, I saw the truth about the Tiananmen Square Massacre,” he recalled. “I was in shock, and I was furious.”
He also studied China’s political history in greater depth, learning about the CCP’s campaigns of terror, from the Anti-Rightist Movement to the Cultural Revolution. These revelations made him question why China lagged behind countries like Singapore in quality of life and governance despite its size and resources.
“In Singapore, public parks, museums, and facilities are free to access. But in China, everything has a price tag, even our cultural heritage,” he noted. “I was a foreigner in Singapore, yet I had access to free healthcare. Meanwhile, back home, rural farmers like my parents had no pensions, no reliable healthcare, and no safety net.”
David concluded that the fundamental difference lay in governance. While Singapore had inherited and improved upon a legal framework emphasizing the rule of law, China remained trapped in a cycle of nepotism, state control, and corruption.
The struggles of China’s rural population
Having grown up in a farming family, David was painfully aware of the systemic discrimination against rural residents in China. Farmers were treated as second-class citizens, burdened with high taxes, backbreaking labor, and minimal social benefits. Unlike urban workers, they lacked pensions, quality healthcare, and access to good education for their children.
“In China, it’s almost impossible for a farmer to escape poverty,” he said. “We work tirelessly, but agricultural prices are controlled, leaving us with little profit. The household registration system restricts our children’s education, preventing them from attending city schools. And in old age, we have no pensions — just the hope that our children can support us.”
He recalled witnessing elderly villagers suffering from untreated illnesses, left to die in silence because they couldn’t afford medical care. Although the government promoted rural healthcare programs, actual reimbursements were so minimal that treatment for most serious illnesses remained unaffordable.
David’s own parents struggled to survive on meager savings and the support he sent home. Meanwhile, government officials and state employees enjoyed generous retirement benefits, with medical costs reimbursed at rates of 90 percent or more.
“This is discrimination,” he said bitterly. “The government prioritizes urban development while treating farmers as disposable labor. We’ve been exploited for generations yet receive nothing in return.”
From Singapore to Canada: A new mission for democracy
In March 2023, David left Singapore and settled in Canada, a country that aligned with the values of freedom and democracy he had come to cherish. He soon joined the local branch of a Chinese pro-democracy movement, finding solidarity with like-minded activists.
Determined to play a role in China’s future, he actively participated in protests and awareness campaigns. He participated in Toronto’s commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, rallies supporting the “White Paper Movement,” and demonstrations marking International Human Rights Day.
“The first time I stood on the street holding a protest sign, I was terrified,” David admitted. “But seeing so many others courageously speaking out gave me hope. Chinese people are not as divided as the CCP wants us to believe — there are many who still have a conscience and the courage to fight for justice.”
His experiences in Canada further reinforced the difference between democratic societies and authoritarian regimes. He recounted an incident where he was hit by a car while crossing the street. A Canadian woman immediately stopped to help, took photos of the scene, and even offered her contact information in case he needed assistance.
“In China, I once saw a child get hit by a truck. When I tried to intervene, the driver glared at me, and my friends scolded me for ‘meddling.’ The bystanders just stood there, afraid to get involved,” he recalled.
A hope for the future
David has no illusions about the difficulty of bringing democracy to China, but he remains steadfast in his commitment.
“I’m not a hero; I’m just an ordinary person. But I believe that when enough ordinary people are willing to stand up and speak out, change becomes possible,” he said.
He dreams of one day returning to a China where people can live with dignity, where the rule of law protects all citizens equally, and where justice is not a privilege reserved for the powerful.
Until that day comes, he will continue his fight from afar, hoping that his voice, alongside many others, will one day help bring freedom to his homeland.
Translated by Chua BC
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