Wang Xizhe ( Chinese: 王希哲), born in 1948 in Sichuan, is a Chinese writer and a political critic. ^[1]

Biography

Wang was born on August 13, 1948, to a middle-class family in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Raised in Guangdong, Wang became involved with the rebels during the Cultural Revolution and was sent to the countryside in 1968. ^[2]

In 1974, Wang, together with Li Zhengtian and Chen Yiyang, under the pseudonym "Li Yizhe," posted a big-character poster entitled "Socialist Democracy," in which they questioned the ideological system of the Gang of Four and Lin Biao, and even Mao Zedong's authority, claiming that a " newborn bourgeoisie" had emerged, and calling for the establishment of a socialist system that was more democratic and based on the rule of law. ^[3]

Together with Liu Xiaobo he wrote and signed a letter that was published on September 30, 1996. ^[4] This letter called on the Chinese authorities to reconcile the Chinese Communist Party and Guomindang, ^[5] and have dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the exiled head of the Tibetan government.

Liu Xiaobo was later arrested and sentenced to 3 years of "re-education through labor" camp. To escape from arrest, Wang Xizhe took refuge in Hong Kong. ^[6] His escape was revealed on October 13. Two days later on October 15, he arrived in the United States where he obtained political asylum. ^[7]

References