Yaqiu Wang 王亚秋
@yaqiu.bsky.social
Chinese human rights and democracy advocate | Fellow at University of Chicago’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression | https://www.wangyaqiu.com/ | 勇气是最珍贵的品质
It was fun, thanks for having me. These days, I feel like I should start conversations by saying, "yes, yes, I know the US's human rights record really suck now. BUT that fact does nothing to invalidate criticism of China."
我的油管节目《涵瞰世界》：对话美国芝加哥大学研究员王亚秋
@yaqiu.bsky.social 从她的人权问题研究者角度探讨中国的人权状况和美国不断加剧的威权倾向
youtu.be/SRVztz89d9o?...
@yaqiu.bsky.social 从她的人权问题研究者角度探讨中国的人权状况和美国不断加剧的威权倾向
youtu.be/SRVztz89d9o?...
EP50 王亚秋 - 人权研究者视角看中国和美国
YouTube video by 涵瞰世界 Devil's Advocate
youtu.be
February 5, 2026 at 12:35 AM
It was fun, thanks for having me. These days, I feel like I should start conversations by saying, "yes, yes, I know the US's human rights record really suck now. BUT that fact does nothing to invalidate criticism of China."
The censorship, surveillance, and student reporting faced by these professors—along with the inevitable self-censorship—feel quintessentially China, but they are occurring in America. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...
Professors Are Being Watched: ‘We’ve Never Seen This Much Surveillance’
www.nytimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:47 PM
The censorship, surveillance, and student reporting faced by these professors—along with the inevitable self-censorship—feel quintessentially China, but they are occurring in America. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/u...
I often say to journalists and curious laypeople, "I work on human rights issues, what do I know about whether China is going to attack Taiwan/who is fighting who at the top/whether China's economic model is sustainable?"
Excuse my language but why the fuck is Foreign Policy publishing an essay by Adam Tooze on the PLA purges? He has nothing of value to contribute beyond "he's pretty smart, I guess", and anyone paying the smallest attention to his X presence knows the guy has gotten the full United Front soapjob.
Economics columnist Adam Tooze explores Xi Jinping’s military modernization campaign and Beijing’s yearslong purge of the top ranks of the People’s Liberation Army. foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/30/c...
February 3, 2026 at 12:59 PM
I often say to journalists and curious laypeople, "I work on human rights issues, what do I know about whether China is going to attack Taiwan/who is fighting who at the top/whether China's economic model is sustainable?"
Ad time: Interested in joining the University of Chicago’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression as a fellow or visiting scholar? Email the team at thechicagoforum@uchicago.edu. thechicagoforum.uchicago.edu/en
January 31, 2026 at 1:18 AM
Ad time: Interested in joining the University of Chicago’s Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression as a fellow or visiting scholar? Email the team at thechicagoforum@uchicago.edu. thechicagoforum.uchicago.edu/en
It is encouraging to see a member of Congress taking this approach. I hope liberal democracies around the world are not giving up on the United States. A large segment of American society still wants to be part of the international human rights system, and they need external support and solidarity.
McGovern: "Mr. Pretti was working to promote and protect human rights while taking actions that are specifically protected by the UDHR and ICCPR —the latter of which is the Supreme Law of the Land under Article VI, Clause 2 of the US Constitution." mcgovern.house.gov/news/documen...
Press Releases | Congressman Jim McGovern
mcgovern.house.gov
January 26, 2026 at 11:31 PM
It is encouraging to see a member of Congress taking this approach. I hope liberal democracies around the world are not giving up on the United States. A large segment of American society still wants to be part of the international human rights system, and they need external support and solidarity.
News on China is increasingly crowded out by the daily tantrums of the American presidency. When China does break through, it's either on the economy or elite political infighting. How do we get the world to care about the 1 billion plus repressed people in China ? Tips?
January 26, 2026 at 7:02 PM
News on China is increasingly crowded out by the daily tantrums of the American presidency. When China does break through, it's either on the economy or elite political infighting. How do we get the world to care about the 1 billion plus repressed people in China ? Tips?
Some friends and I are discussing whether Alex Pretti’s death will matter. I believe it will. Even in China—where the government is far less responsive to public opinion—the death of Sun Zhigang, a migrant worker beaten to death by police, prompted systemic change. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Zhi...
Sun Zhigang incident - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 26, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Some friends and I are discussing whether Alex Pretti’s death will matter. I believe it will. Even in China—where the government is far less responsive to public opinion—the death of Sun Zhigang, a migrant worker beaten to death by police, prompted systemic change. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Zhi...
She was Good. He was Pretti. Rest in peace.
January 24, 2026 at 8:14 PM
She was Good. He was Pretti. Rest in peace.
I urge leaders of democracies worldwide to step forward and stand with Americans fighting on the ground.
January 23, 2026 at 3:56 PM
I urge leaders of democracies worldwide to step forward and stand with Americans fighting on the ground.
While Trump has sucked up all the air, please take a moment to learn about heroes like Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho. Don't let the Beijing and Hong Kong governments get away with repression when the world is not looking. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Hong Kong national security trial of three pro-democracy activists begins
Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, who led Tiananmen Square vigils, are accused of inciting subversion
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:56 AM
While Trump has sucked up all the air, please take a moment to learn about heroes like Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho. Don't let the Beijing and Hong Kong governments get away with repression when the world is not looking. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Listen to my former colleague @nateschenkkan.bsky.social. Experts on global authoritarianism are exactly the people we need to weigh in on America -- and how to fight back -- before it is too late.
January 21, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Listen to my former colleague @nateschenkkan.bsky.social. Experts on global authoritarianism are exactly the people we need to weigh in on America -- and how to fight back -- before it is too late.
A German exchange student here at University of Chicago told me he loved his experience at the university, wished he could stay here longer - but not in America. It’s a feeling many of us recognize: loving our cocoons in America, alienated from the country as a whole.
January 21, 2026 at 1:50 PM
A German exchange student here at University of Chicago told me he loved his experience at the university, wished he could stay here longer - but not in America. It’s a feeling many of us recognize: loving our cocoons in America, alienated from the country as a whole.
The mistake may have been ours—we projected our hopes onto others. We looked for someone charismatic, like Ai, or something powerful, like the US, to commit to our cause, only to be disappointed. But belief cannot depend on heroes or patrons. We must hold onto it even when we stand alone.
Regarding Ai Weiwei’s sudden pro-Beijing turn - though there were earlier signs - the CCP’s horrific abuses are historical facts that cannot be argued out of existence. A former human rights icon may have fallen, but the struggle for democracy will continue, with or without him.
January 16, 2026 at 3:14 PM
The mistake may have been ours—we projected our hopes onto others. We looked for someone charismatic, like Ai, or something powerful, like the US, to commit to our cause, only to be disappointed. But belief cannot depend on heroes or patrons. We must hold onto it even when we stand alone.
Regarding Ai Weiwei’s sudden pro-Beijing turn - though there were earlier signs - the CCP’s horrific abuses are historical facts that cannot be argued out of existence. A former human rights icon may have fallen, but the struggle for democracy will continue, with or without him.
January 15, 2026 at 11:19 PM
Regarding Ai Weiwei’s sudden pro-Beijing turn - though there were earlier signs - the CCP’s horrific abuses are historical facts that cannot be argued out of existence. A former human rights icon may have fallen, but the struggle for democracy will continue, with or without him.
Yes, Chinese universities are producing a large quantity of research. But without academic freedom, how meaningful is this "excellence?" University should not just be a factory of research output, but a community meant to seek truth and challenge power. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/u...
Chinese Universities Surge in Global Rankings as U.S. Schools Slip
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Yes, Chinese universities are producing a large quantity of research. But without academic freedom, how meaningful is this "excellence?" University should not just be a factory of research output, but a community meant to seek truth and challenge power. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/u...
It is really sad that the Journal of Democracy and its parent organization, the National Endowment for Democracy, aren't playing a role in defending American democracy (it falls outside of their mandate). Decades of accumulated knowledge go unused at a moment when it is most urgently needed.
"In his zeal to clamp down on crime, Noboa has shown for civil and political liberties a disregard that he is now combining with moves to challenge judicial independence and limit opposition."
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/a...
January 13, 2026 at 11:17 PM
It is really sad that the Journal of Democracy and its parent organization, the National Endowment for Democracy, aren't playing a role in defending American democracy (it falls outside of their mandate). Decades of accumulated knowledge go unused at a moment when it is most urgently needed.
Hello, it’s Monday. As someone connected to both China and America, I feel compelled to say this: I’m deeply embarrassed, and I want to apologize to everyone in Europe, in Africa, in Latin America, in Asia, in Antarctica and in outer space.
January 12, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Hello, it’s Monday. As someone connected to both China and America, I feel compelled to say this: I’m deeply embarrassed, and I want to apologize to everyone in Europe, in Africa, in Latin America, in Asia, in Antarctica and in outer space.
Folks, it’s possible to hold two feelings at once (as I do): glad Maduro is gone, uneasy about the way he was removed.
January 9, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Folks, it’s possible to hold two feelings at once (as I do): glad Maduro is gone, uneasy about the way he was removed.
In which I argue it’s a mistake for anyone who cares about the democratic future in China to rejoice. By apprehending Maduro through legally dubious means, Trump weakens the international legal framework, undercutting the system that gives human rights advocacy its moral and legal force.
January 9, 2026 at 5:11 PM
In which I argue it’s a mistake for anyone who cares about the democratic future in China to rejoice. By apprehending Maduro through legally dubious means, Trump weakens the international legal framework, undercutting the system that gives human rights advocacy its moral and legal force.
The killing by ICE in Minneapolis reminds me of the death of Qian Yunhui, a Chinese farmer killed while protesting a land seizure. I still remember the public outrage then. What comforts me now is that the US has far more political space. I trust truth will come out and accountability will follow.
January 8, 2026 at 10:12 PM
The killing by ICE in Minneapolis reminds me of the death of Qian Yunhui, a Chinese farmer killed while protesting a land seizure. I still remember the public outrage then. What comforts me now is that the US has far more political space. I trust truth will come out and accountability will follow.
Hello, I am at University of Chicago for the moment (apparently, I brought balmy weather here), ping me to hang out. The world has gone mad, so I am taking refuge at a university to ponder a few questions in peace.
January 7, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Hello, I am at University of Chicago for the moment (apparently, I brought balmy weather here), ping me to hang out. The world has gone mad, so I am taking refuge at a university to ponder a few questions in peace.
America’s credibility on a rules-based international order is now completely in the toilet. I urge my colleagues to seriously explore alternative approaches to advocating for human rights and democracy in China that do not rely on U.S. power or U.S. funding.
Rubio said the US Navy will keep up a "quarantine" of some Venezuelan oil to coerce Maduro's allies to open up the oil industry. A White House official said that's what Trump meant when he said the US will "run" Venezuela. It's the new gunboat diplomacy. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/u...
Rubio Stresses U.S. Plan to Coerce Venezuela Rather Than Govern It
www.nytimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:22 PM
America’s credibility on a rules-based international order is now completely in the toilet. I urge my colleagues to seriously explore alternative approaches to advocating for human rights and democracy in China that do not rely on U.S. power or U.S. funding.
Saw some people in the human rights space applauding Trump’s actions in Venezuela. As someone from China—a country where dictatorship feels omnipotent and where people inside often feel utterly powerless—I understand the desire for an external force to remove a hated tyrant. 1/3
January 3, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Saw some people in the human rights space applauding Trump’s actions in Venezuela. As someone from China—a country where dictatorship feels omnipotent and where people inside often feel utterly powerless—I understand the desire for an external force to remove a hated tyrant. 1/3
2025 has been the hardest year of my professional life, and I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. There’s so much uncertainty about where the world is headed, and at times it’s frightening. Stay strong, stay brave, and take care of one another. Happy New Year, everyone.
December 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM
2025 has been the hardest year of my professional life, and I know I’m not alone in feeling this way. There’s so much uncertainty about where the world is headed, and at times it’s frightening. Stay strong, stay brave, and take care of one another. Happy New Year, everyone.
This is really a sad contradiction for us who work on human rights issues in China: as governments commit to countering CCP influence within their borders (a welcome step), they are concurrently adopting measures that make life harder for those who fled the CCP’s persecution.
"Uyghurs who fled are losing protections as China pressures other countries to hand them over, and as America and Europe have grown more hostile towards refugees."
Chinese pressure and migration backlashes may result in many being sent back to China
December 23, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is really a sad contradiction for us who work on human rights issues in China: as governments commit to countering CCP influence within their borders (a welcome step), they are concurrently adopting measures that make life harder for those who fled the CCP’s persecution.