Jiang Wen, a Chinese chef who spent more than two decades working in Shandong Province, says the forced demolition of his family home eventually led him to Canada, where he now openly opposes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“If that house were still there, I might never have left Yantai in my entire life,” Jiang told Vision Times.
Family home demolished without agreement
Jiang’s family had lived in their ancestral home in Yantai, Shandong Province, for three generations. The house, measuring more than 300 square meters, had been in the family since the 1960s.
In March 2020, local authorities demolished the property without reaching a compensation agreement, according to Jiang.
“That morning, more than 50 police officers and plainclothes personnel of unknown identity sealed off the entire street,” he recalled.
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Jiang said officers forcibly removed him and his elderly parents before excavators destroyed the building. Family photographs, furniture, and other belongings were buried in the rubble.
He estimated the property’s value at 1.5 million yuan but said authorities offered just 200,000 yuan in compensation.
Detained after seeking justice
Jiang and his father subsequently attempted to petition provincial authorities in Jinan but were intercepted while traveling by train.
He believes his identification card had been flagged by a government surveillance system, allowing authorities to track his movements.
According to Jiang, the two were returned to their hometown and detained for approximately a week. He alleged that officers subjected him to sleep deprivation, beatings, and prolonged periods of forced standing.
“When they beat you, they would say, ‘We have plenty of ways to make sure you won’t show any injuries when you get examined,’” Jiang recalled.
The experience shattered his remaining confidence in China’s political system.
A new life and political activism in Canada
After leaving China, Jiang eventually settled in Canada, where he resumed working as a chef and began openly criticizing the CCP.
He said unrestricted internet access exposed him to information about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the COVID-19 pandemic, and allegations of forced organ harvesting that had been censored in China.
Jiang subsequently joined the Chinese Democratic Party and began participating in pro-democracy demonstrations in Vancouver, including protests outside the Chinese consulate.
He said Chinese police continued questioning his relatives about his whereabouts as recently as early 2026.
“Although I’m just an ordinary chef, I don’t want to be a part of that demonic system anymore,” he said.
His immediate priority is to continue building a life in Canada and bring his 19-year-old son to join him.
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