USA: CHINSE DISSIDENT WANG RUOWANG HAS DIED OF LUNG CANCER IN NEW YORK

Record ID: 1403819

  • Title: USA: CHINSE DISSIDENT WANG RUOWANG HAS DIED OF LUNG CANCER IN NEW YORK
  • Date: 21st December 2001
  • Summary: (W1)NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 21, 2001) (REUTERS) MCU OF FAMILY AT HOME IN QUEENS, NEW YORK MCU (Mandarin), BEIZHEN WANG, WANG RUOWANG.S DAUGHTER SAYING: "It was very difficult, but I loved my father. He had seven children and we were always gathering together at different times to discuss how to take care of him and to ask him how he was doing. We believe that our father was an honest person who always told the truth and he was not a bad person as some people said. He had good opinions and he had no choice, so he was here and we were in China." CU OF FAMILY LOOKING AT PHOTOGRAPHS (2 SHOTS) SV WALKING SHOT OF XIAO QIANG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA MCU (English) XIAO QIANG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA, SAYING: "It was very moving that he wanted to see his family members and he wanted to see a free China and he turned down the Chinese government's so-called conditions which basically wanted to silence him as a free person. That is the ultimate example for anyone with integrity and the belief in human freedom. I think that action alone will last long in the Chinese democracy movement as an inspiring source."
  • Embargoed: 14th August 2014 18:49
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATIONS IN CHINA
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA5R3Q0JZNW5TI3KMW8N7VT4LM5
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The family of Chinese dissident Wang Ruowang has spoken days after his death in a New York hospital. His wife and two of children say his legacy will continue in spite of his death.
    Chinese dissident Wang Ruowang died of lung cancer on Wednesday (December 19) night in a New York hospital at the age of 83.
    He was the first senior member of the Chinese dissident movement to die in exile.
    His widow, Suying Feng, believes the younger generations will carry on his legacy. "I think so," she said. "Until now and when he was in the hospital, many different people came to visit and pay their respects. I feel that the young people will carry on, probably not the same he thought but they will go on."
    Wang joined the Communist Party in 1937 and first had his membership revoked in 1957, accused of being a "rightist." He was kicked out of the Communist Party twice and jailed after the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. He was allowed to leave China in the early 1990s along with several other prominent dissidents. Wang arrived in the United States at the age of 72 already in weak health.
    His family said he had a very difficult time living in exile. His children kept in touch as much as they could and they tried several times to visit him in New York but their visa requests were rejected.
    Beizhen Wang, one of his daughters, could not make it before he died. She says his family back in China always supported his beliefs: "It was very difficult, but I loved my father. He had seven children and we were always gathering together at different times to discuss how to take care of him and to ask him how he was doing. We believe that our father was an honest person who always told the truth and he was not a bad person as some people said. He had good opinions and he had no choice, so he was here and we were in China."
    Human Rights activists, like Xiao Qiang, believe that in spite of his age and health, Wang was able to continue his work in exile. Qiang calls him an inspiration to all Chinese dissidents and human rights activists: "It was very moving that he wanted to see his family members and he wanted to see a free China and he turned down the Chinese government's so-called conditions which basically wanted to silence him as a free person. That is the ultimate example for anyone with integrity and the belief in human freedom. I think that action alone will last long in the Chinese democracy movement as an inspiring source."
    After moving to the United States, Wang continued to fight for freedom and human rights in China through his writings. He was detained for 14 months in China for supporting the Tiananmen Square demonstrations crushed by the army on June 4, 1989. Wang was among those party members targeted by the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the late 1980s. The Chinese exile believe Wang was certain that his legacy would continue to inspire the next generations of Chinese dissidents.
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