Chinese rallies have been held in Sheffield, calling on local people to petition against the sister city relationship with Chengdu and Anshan City in China, which was originally for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties between two nations.
The protest petition was initiated by the Chinese community. Its main purpose is to oppose China’s controversial policies that have shocked the international community in recent years.
Clara Cheung, chief organiser of the petition and the protest said: “China supports Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, continues military threats against Taiwan, and has long been in conflict with the international community on human rights issues,”
“As the first British city to become a sanctuary city, Sheffield has long-term sister city relationships with two Chinese cities, Chengdu and Anshan. This is disrespectful to democracy.”
In November last year, Newcastle and Bath terminated their friendly relations with their former sister cities in China. This move strengthened the leaders of Sheffield’s Chinese community to submit a petition.
William Cheng, 32, a Sheffield citizen from Hong Kong, said: “Stop supporting the Chinese hegemony! We held a similar event last year, but due to the real-name system for petitions, many Chinese people were worried that the Chinese government would retaliate against them.”
“But this year’s petition is being held both online and offline. I think it ensures a certain degree of safety. This is also why I am willing to join volunteers and call on more people, not just the Chinese in Sheffield, to participate.”
One of the main themes is ‘Sheffield should not be the last when it comes to making a clear statement to protect human rights and freedom’.
As the petition deadline of 31 October approaches, it is hoped that increasing the frequency of both offline and online publicity will call on more people to be active for the cause.
Edited by Toria Christie