Chinese Dissident Jie Lijian Hospitalized After Being Found Unconscious

Chinese pro-democracy activist Jie Lijian was found unconscious at his New York residence on Sept. 29 after friends said they had been unable to reach him for more than 24 hours.

Fellow activists said Jie was taken by ambulance to a hospital for emergency treatment. By Sept. 30, Yang Maosen reported that Jie had regained consciousness and was out of immediate danger but remained hospitalized for observation.

The cause of Jie’s collapse has not been publicly established.

Jie found unconscious after more than 24 hours missing

On Sept. 29, Yang Lei, a Chinese pro-democracy activist living in the United States and a member of the China Democracy Party, said Jie had been missing for more than 24 hours and that members of his team had contacted police.

Yang said friends and supporters had speculated about several possibilities, including that Jie had been attacked, abducted, or had deliberately gone into hiding. None of those possibilities had been established at the time. Earlier, Yang had noted that Jie had stopped posting on social media and was not answering his phone.

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Later that day, Yang reported that Jie had been found.

“Jie Lijian has been found,” Yang wrote. “His address was kept so secret that almost no one knew it. He has been unconscious for quite some time. We are awaiting reports from the hospital and the police.”

Chinese writer and China New Era People’s Party founder Yang Maosen also posted updates as efforts to locate Jie unfolded. Yang said he obtained Jie’s address through an emergency contact and went to Jie’s previous residence, where a neighbor told him Jie had not returned since leaving for Washington. After receiving no response at the door, Yang said police were contacted.

Yang later reported that the landlord opened the residence and found Jie unconscious in bed.

“The landlord opened the door and found Jie Lijian lying unconscious in bed,” Yang wrote. “I’m calling an ambulance for him right now.”

In another update, Yang said Jie’s condition was serious and that he had been transported to a hospital by ambulance.

“Regarding his condition, the cause of his illness, and further updates, everything will be based on the medical report,” Yang wrote.

After arriving at the hospital, Yang said staff told him Jie was receiving emergency treatment and that visitors would not be permitted until he was transferred to a regular ward.

On Sept. 30, Yang posted another update saying Jie had awakened and was no longer in immediate danger, although doctors wanted him to remain hospitalized for observation.

Jie speaks out against transnational repression during Xi visit

Jie is chairman of the China Democracy Party International Alliance and has been active in overseas demonstrations opposing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

From Sept. 23 to 25, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Washington for meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump. Reuters reported that Trump welcomed Xi to the White House on Sept. 24, while demonstrations involving critics of the Chinese government took place nearby.

AP reported that protesters representing Chinese dissidents, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Hong Kongers, Christians, and other groups demonstrated near the White House during Xi’s visit, while pro-China demonstrators also gathered to welcome the Chinese leader.

Jie participated in demonstrations during the visit and spoke about what he described as the CCP’s transnational repression of overseas dissidents. He said activists’ relatives in China had also faced pressure because of their activities overseas.

Jie called for overseas opposition groups to work together and said, “Our goal is not to reform the Communist Party, but to bring it to an end.”

He also appealed to U.S. authorities, saying, “The CCP’s transnational repression and persecution must stop, and human rights criminals must be held fully accountable!”

Concerns over threats and violence surrounding the demonstrations had emerged before Xi arrived in Washington. Vision Times previously reported that Jie said he and other organizers had received bomb and death threats, which he said had been reported to the FBI and New York police. During a Sept. 20 demonstration in Flushing, Yang Lei was allegedly assaulted and a counterprotester was detained by police.

Jie has also been involved in two other serious incidents this year that he has publicly linked to his anti-CCP activism, although responsibility for the incidents has not been established.

On July 15, Jie said three men followed and attacked him near the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing. He suffered a serious head injury and lost consciousness after boarding a bus. The Epoch Times reported that Jie remained unconscious for more than two days and received intensive hospital care.

Earlier, on May 31, Jie said he was involved in a serious hit-and-run crash in a remote area of Utah. According to Jie, another vehicle struck his car twice before leaving the scene, causing his vehicle to lose control, cross into oncoming traffic, break through a guardrail, and come to a stop in a wilderness area.

“The car was nearly totaled,” Jie said. “If it weren’t for divine protection, I’m afraid I would have been gone long ago. … In short, I thank God for His protection.”

In a June 2 X post, Jie said he was undergoing emergency-room examinations after experiencing worsening head pain, dizziness, vomiting, chest tightness, and sharp pain when breathing following the crash.

Jie later said he found it suspicious that relatives in China contacted him and urged him to return even though he had not told them about the crash. He has characterized the incident as part of what he believes is a pattern of transnational repression. No evidence establishing who was responsible for the crash is cited in the material reviewed for this article.

In his final X posts before he disappeared, Jie warned about alleged threats against people involved in organizing the Washington demonstrations and urged activists to take precautions. He also thanked Reuters for reporting on protests during Xi’s visit.