Revealed: Massive Chinese Police Database
January 29, 2021“It is the beginning of the spring, which means the number of migrant workers will increase soon . . . During work hours they are managed by their work unit and after work they are monitored by their residential communities . . . They are required to attend the community flag raising ceremony every Monday, give a “fasheng liangjian” speech to declare their loyalty, showing their voice and showing their sword, express their position, and accept thought transformation faster and better.”
The documents also make clear the extent to which authorities try to assess the psychology of people under suspicion, with a keen eye in particular toward loyalty and even fervor. This is exhibited at so-called flag-raising ceremonies: community events in which participants proclaim their loyalty to China and the ruling regime. Documents show that these events are extensively monitored by police and their proxies. Authorities watch not just former detainees but their relatives as well, to confirm they are participating and to determine how passionate they are about doing so.
Authorities used participation in these weekly ceremonies as a way to monitor three people, likely Uyghurs, on a community watchlist, according to one of the documents. Participants are asked to perform a vow of loyalty involving the phrase “Voice your opinion, raise your sword” (or “Show your voice, show your sword”).
Documents show that the police officers and neighbors doing this monitoring at flag-raising ceremonies are also making recommendations about who should be sent to re-education camps.