Dong Guangping, a former police officer turned human rights activist, has successfully fled China and been granted political asylum in Canada, recounting his harrowing escape by boat across the Yellow Sea. Dong's activism has led to multiple imprisonments and repeated attempts to leave China, with his latest successful escape involving a small rubber dinghy and a journey of over 300 kilometers (186 miles).
Dong was fired from the police force in 1999 after signing a petition to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. He was subsequently jailed in 2001 for three years for "inciting subversion of state power" and again in 2014 for participating in another Tiananmen commemoration event, according to Amnesty International. He told BBC Chinese that despite being sent back to China four times after previous escape attempts, his conviction to reach the free world remained steadfast.
In September 2015, Dong traveled to Bangkok with his wife and daughter. They were granted refugee status by the United Nations and approved for resettlement in Canada. However, days before their scheduled departure, Thai authorities deported Dong to China, where he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for "inciting subversion" and "crossing the national border illegally." Upon his release in 2019, he attempted to swim to the Taiwanese island of Kinmen but was intercepted by Chinese fishermen and returned to Chinese police, who then barred him from leaving the country.
Another attempt in 2020 saw Dong enter Vietnam. He lived in hiding for two years in Hanoi before being deported back to China, where he served almost a year in prison. Released again in 2023, his resolve was only strengthened, leading him to devise a more dangerous plan.
His latest escape began in May, departing from Weihai, Shandong, in a 3.3-meter (10.8-foot) rubber dinghy with an engine. Facing poor weather conditions, he rerouted towards South Korea, a closer destination. The long hours at sea left him dizzy and exhausted, narrowly avoiding a collision with a cargo ship while he dozed off. On May 25, he was sighted by a fishing boat and shouted for help, eventually being brought ashore in the South Korean county of Taean.
Dong was placed in a refugee center in Incheon and subsequently granted political asylum in Canada. He is not the first Chinese dissident to seek refuge in South Korea by sea; in 2023, activist Kwon Pyong fled to South Korea on a jet ski and was later resettled in the United States.
Reflecting on his journey, Dong expressed being overcome with emotion upon receiving his air ticket to Toronto. He noted that his greatest regret is not being able to fulfill his filial duties towards his mother, whose 95th birthday he celebrated just days before his final escape from China. He did not inform her of his plan.