Activists and Students Disrupt Speech by Chinese Ambassador in New York

A  speech by the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, faced significant interruptions on Friday at New York University due to protests by activists and students criticizing China’s human rights record.

During the event organized by NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, Ambassador Zhang attempted to discuss China’s role in international peacekeeping efforts but was continually interrupted by demonstrators voicing their opposition to China’s policies in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. The protesters also highlighted Beijing’s threatening posture toward Taiwan.

One vocal protester, a student holding a sign that read “Stand Against Tyranny,” challenged Ambassador Zhang’s portrayal of China as a peacemaker. “How can you claim to support global peace when your government suppresses peaceful dissenters at home?” he shouted before security escorted him out.

Another interruption came from a student displaying a banner stating “Stop the Lies.” She accused the Chinese government of undermining freedoms in Hong Kong and engaging in the forced assimilation of Tibetan children and culture. “Your policies are erasing the identities of entire peoples,” she declared, raising concerns particularly about the treatment of Tibetan children and cultural eradication.

As Zhang Jun attempted to continue, a third protester criticized the ongoing situation in Xinjiang, calling attention to the extensive human rights abuses reported in the region, including forced labor and mass surveillance. “The world sees the atrocities committed under your watch!” she exclaimed as security led her away.

Despite these disturbances, which lasted several minutes, Zhang resumed his speech, stressing the importance of Sino-American collaboration for global stability. In his prepared remarks, later shared by the Chinese mission to the UN, Zhang cautioned against the dangers of deteriorating relations due to external interference in what Beijing considers domestic issues, including Taiwan and Hong Kong.

“Any attempts to intervene in China’s internal affairs will be detrimental to bilateral trust and cooperation,” Zhang warned.

Throughout the speech, a total of five students and activists intervened, as reported by the group Students for a Free Tibet, which advocates for Tibetan political autonomy. The organization stated that the protests aimed to convey that the ambassador’s messages were unwelcome due to the ongoing human rights violations associated with his government.

Outside the venue, a group of approximately fifty people braved the cold weather to stage a protest with banners and flags, calling for international attention to China’s human rights issues. Among them, supporters of Falun Gong, a spiritual group persecuted in China since 1999, held signs condemning forced organ harvesting.

Michael Zhang, a participant wearing a blue raincoat, emphasized to reporters, “We are here to voice our opposition to the oppressive policies of the Chinese government, which affect not just Falun Gong practitioners but also Uyghurs, Tibetans, and anyone daring to express dissent.”

The demonstration outside NYU mirrored the sentiments inside, with protesters decrying what they describe as China’s transnational repression tactics. “We stand for freedom and human rights, values that are non-negotiable,” stated one demonstrator as the crowd echoed calls for the liberation of Hong Kong and the cessation of abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet.