By Chen Guancheng
Ten years have passed since the “709 Crackdown.” This term refers to a nationwide assault, orchestrated under the direct command of the CCP Central Committee, that aimed to crush constitutional governance and the rule of law in their infancy. The operation was a blatant declaration of war by the CCP against modern political values—constitutionalism, democracy, and the separation of powers. Regrettably, a decade later, the CCP continues to act with impunity. This unchecked authoritarianism, unpunished and undeterred, is a stain on humanity.
Legalizing Repression: The CCP’s Long-Term Strategy
The CCP’s oppressive governance has followed a consistent pattern for over 76 years, rooted in treating the people as its primary adversary. It’s time to reject naïve narratives like, “Each Politburo Standing Committee member governs their own domain, and Hu Jintao or Wen Jiabao may not have known what Zhou Yongkang was doing.”
In fact, numerous sources confirm that the crackdown was planned during the Hu-Wen administration. Xi Jinping merely formalized it upon taking power, turning repression into law and laying the legal groundwork for mass persecution.
As early as 2011, the CCP—fearing the “Jasmine Revolution” might reach mainland China—illegally detained many awakened citizens and human rights lawyers. Some of these lawyers, imprisoned in secret “black jails,” courageously argued with police:
“Arresting and detaining citizens without legal procedure or evidence is unconstitutional and illegal!”
A police officer shamelessly replied:
“Yes, it’s illegal now. But once we change the law, it won’t be.”
This response revealed the regime’s intent: to rewrite laws in order to persecute citizens legally. Even grassroots state security officers were aware of these plans. Eventually, the CCP codified its extralegal “black jail” system by incorporating it into Article 73 of the Criminal Procedure Law under the guise of “designated residential surveillance.”
This law permits authorities to withhold notification of a detainee’s lawyer and family for up to six months—and allows indefinite extensions at the CCP’s discretion. This gives the regime nearly unlimited power to persecute dissenters.
Gao Zhisheng: Tortured Yet Defiant
Starting on July 9, 2015, the CCP launched a sweeping campaign across 23 provinces, detaining or disappearing more than 100 individuals—including lawyers such as Zhou Shifeng, Li Heping, and Wang Quanzhang, as well as activists and petitioners.
In June 2016, after serving a three-year prison sentence and enduring repeated torture in Shaya Prison, lawyer Gao Zhisheng—then under house arrest—wrote an article titled “The 709 Anti-Rule-of-Law Incident: An Ongoing Historical Crime.” In it, he wrote:
“The 709 Incident is yet another structural crime in the CCP’s record of atrocities against humanity.
The degree of freedom and development in a country’s legal profession reflects its level of civilization.
History has shown that communist regimes are the sworn enemies of universal values such as political liberty and the rule of law.”
On August 13, 2017, Gao’s family discovered he had disappeared from the courtyard of his home, where he was under house arrest. Nearly eight years later, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Based on what we know of the CCP’s nature, it is likely the regime will eventually cite Article 73 in a cynical attempt to justify Gao’s prolonged disappearance.
But such schemes will ultimately fail. The CCP would do well to remember a foundational principle of law: “Unjust laws are not laws.” To use fabricated legislation to cover up crimes is not just shooting yourself in the foot—it’s smashing yourself in the head.
No Communist Party, No Chains: Only Then Will the People Be Free
Discussing the rule of law under dictatorship is like talking about traffic rules in the wilderness. Trying to convince a dictator of the benefits of checks and balances only makes him more vigilant against constitutional governance and oversight. The CCP understands that with a Western-style system—multi-party competition and separation of powers—it would lose its ability to act with impunity and its privileges would vanish.
Therefore, expecting dialogue to convince a dictator to embrace constitutionalism or free speech is like bargaining with a tiger over your skin—it is doomed to fail.
The communist authoritarian system is the root of all evil in China’s occupied territories. The 709 Crackdown was a clear declaration of war on the rule of law. The free world—and those still living under the CCP’s oppression—must confront this reality.
We must take bold, creative action to dismantle the CCP’s totalitarian machinery. Together, we must consign the Communist Party—this enemy of humanity—to the ash heap of history.
Only when the Communist Party is gone will the Chinese people truly be
free.
nationwide assault, orchestrated under the direct command of the CCP
Central Committee, that aimed to crush constitutional governance and the
rule of law in their infancy. The operation was a blatant declaration of war
by the CCP against modern political values—constitutionalism, democracy,
and the separation of powers.
unchecked authoritarianism, unpunished and undeterred, is a stain on
humanity.
Legalizing Repression: The CCP’s Long-Term Strategy
The CCP’s oppressive governance has followed a consistent pattern for over
76 years, rooted in treating the people as its primary adversary. It’s time to
reject naïve narratives like, “Each Politburo Standing Committee member
governs their own domain, and Hu Jintao or Wen Jiabao may not have
known what Zhou Yongkang was doing.”
In fact, numerous sources confirm that the crackdown was planned during
the Hu-Wen administration. Xi Jinping merely formalized it upon taking
power, turning repression into law and laying the legal groundwork for
mass persecution.
As early as 2011, the CCP—fearing the “Jasmine Revolution” might reach
mainland China—illegally detained many awakened citizens and human
rights lawyers. Some of these lawyers, imprisoned in secret “black jails,”
courageously argued with police:
“Arresting and detaining citizens without legal procedure or evidence is
unconstitutional and illegal!”
A police officer shamelessly replied:
“Yes, it’s illegal now. But once we change the law, it won’t be.”
This response revealed the regime’s intent: to rewrite laws in order to
persecute citizens legally. Even grassroots state security officers were
aware of these plans. Eventually, the CCP codified its extralegal “black jail”
system by incorporating it into Article 73 of the Criminal Procedure Law
under the guise of “designated residential surveillance.”
This law permits authorities to withhold notification of a detainee’s lawyer
and family for up to six months—and allows indefinite extensions at the
CCP’s discretion. This gives the regime nearly unlimited power to persecute
dissenters.
Gao Zhisheng: Tortured Yet Defiant
provinces, detaining or disappearing more than 100 individuals—including
lawyers such as Zhou Shifeng, Li Heping, and Wang Quanzhang, as well as
activists and petitioners.
In June 2016, after serving a three-year prison sentence and enduring
repeated torture in Shaya Prison, lawyer Gao Zhisheng—then under house
arrest—wrote an article titled “The 709 Anti-Rule-of-Law Incident: An
Ongoing Historical Crime.” In it, he wrote:
“The 709 Incident is yet another structural crime in the CCP’s record of
atrocities against humanity.
The degree of freedom and development in a country’s legal profession
reflects its level of civilization.
History has shown that communist regimes are the sworn enemies of
universal values such as political liberty and the rule of law.”
On August 13, 2017, Gao’s family discovered he had disappeared from the
courtyard of his home, where he was under house arrest. Nearly eight years
later, his whereabouts remain unknown.
Based on what we know of the CCP’s nature, it is likely the regime will
eventually cite Article 73 in a cynical attempt to justify Gao’s prolonged
disappearance.
But such schemes will ultimately fail. The CCP would do well to remember a
foundational principle of law: “Unjust laws are not laws.” To use
fabricated legislation to cover up crimes is not just shooting yourself in the
foot—it’s smashing yourself in the head.
No Communist Party, No Chains: Only Then Will the People
Be Free
Discussing the rule of law under dictatorship is like talking about traffic
rules in the wilderness. Trying to convince a dictator of the benefits of
checks and balances only makes him more vigilant against constitutional
governance and oversight. The CCP understands that with a Western-style
system—multi-party competition and separation of powers—it would lose its
ability to act with impunity and its privileges would vanish.
Therefore, expecting dialogue to convince a dictator to embrace
constitutionalism or free speech is like bargaining with a tiger over your
skin—it is doomed to fail.
occupied territories. The 709 Crackdown was a clear declaration of war on
the rule of law. The free world—and those still living under the CCP’s
oppression—must confront this reality.
We must take bold, creative action to dismantle the CCP’s totalitarian
machinery. Together, we must consign the Communist Party—this enemy of
humanity—to the ash heap of history.
Only when the Communist Party is gone will the Chinese people truly be
free.