Amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, religious freedom and human rights have become global focal points. Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback recently spoke at the “China Forum” in Washington, D.C., and on the TV program American Thought Leaders, exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) brutal persecution of Falun Gong, its transnational repression of Shen Yun Performing Arts, and the profound significance of the Tuidang (Quit the CCP) movement. He declared, “The CCP is waging a war on faith, and it’s a war the CCP cannot win.” The genocide against Falun Gong and transnational attacks on Shen Yun reveal the CCP’s fear of Chinese traditional culture and people’s steadfast faith. Brownback urged the U.S. to publicly support Falun Gong, promote Shen Yun, and break through information censorship to back the Tuidang movement, elevating religious freedom to a national security issue.
Falun Gong: The faith group the CCP fears most
Brownback highlighted Falun Gong as the most severely persecuted religious group by the CCP, enduring what he called a “genocide.” He noted that the CCP invests billions to suppress religious groups, particularly Falun Gong, reflecting its acute vigilance. “Falun Gong is the most persecuted of all religious groups, facing open, aggressive attacks, including forced organ harvesting, which is shocking,” he said. The CCP’s fear of Falun Gong stems from its perception of faith groups as threats, as they adhere to a higher moral authority, clashing with the CCP’s totalitarian demand for absolute loyalty.
Brownback detailed the CCP’s forced organ harvesting industry, a “diabolical” $9 billion enterprise primarily targeting Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience. He explained that the industry rapidly expanded in the early 2000s, peaking around 2005, despite China lacking a formal organ donation system. The CCP’s claim that organs come from executed prisoners is untenable. “The only way to get the organ you want is to kill someone, likely a religious person or regime opponent,” he said. He further noted that CCP leaders openly discuss using organ transplants for “longevity” or “immortality,” exposing their moral depravity. Host Jan Jekielek added that the CCP’s 7 million “red card holders” (privileged elites) have unlimited, on-demand organ access, a lure stronger than wealth. Brownback questioned, “What kind of leadership views its people this way, unless it’s evil?” He stressed that this not only tramples human rights but shows the CCP has “killed more of its own people than any regime in history.”
At the “China Forum,” Brownback noted that the CCP spreads lies, smearing Falun Gong and other religious groups as “foreign forces,” when communism itself is the true foreign ideology. “Communism emerged during Europe’s Industrial Revolution and is alien to China. If you want the real China, follow Falun Gong’s path—they’re trying to restore thousands of years of culture and civilization,” he said. Falun Gong’s core principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance” attracted tens of millions in China, and its revival of traditional culture and spirituality directly challenges the CCP’s atheist rule.
Brownback called for the U.S. government to publicly support Falun Gong, particularly by meeting with its founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi. “The White House should meet with Mr. Li Hongzhi and declare that Falun Gong deserves religious freedom,” he said. Such action would create immense pressure within China, inspire public resistance, and destabilize the CCP’s foundation. “Religious freedom is an absolute threat to the CCP regime. Falun Gong is the most organized group in China capable of resisting the CCP,” he emphasized.
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Shen Yun: A beacon of traditional culture under transnational repression
Brownback specifically highlighted Shen Yun Performing Arts, founded by Falun Gong practitioners, as a primary target of CCP transnational repression. He attended a Shen Yun performance in January 2023 at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., describing it as “beautiful, elegant, and graceful,” telling an “extremely moving story.” Scenes depicting the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in modern China brought him to tears. He emphasized that Shen Yun distinguishes traditional Chinese culture from the CCP, offering a “great cultural experience” vital for understanding Chinese heritage. “Shen Yun represents pre-communist Chinese culture, exposing the CCP as an outsider to China’s millennia-old civilization,” he said. The CCP’s hostility toward Shen Yun reflects its fear of the Chinese people’s spirituality and traditional culture.
Brownback outlined the CCP’s tactics to obstruct Shen Yun, including deploying drones to harass training facilities, filing lawsuits, and exploiting Western legal systems to create obstacles. “The CCP uses the West’s openness and legal systems to oppress a group simply trying to showcase China’s beautiful, millennia-old culture,” he said. This transnational repression not only demonstrates the CCP’s overreach but also reveals its insecurity about its legitimacy. “Shen Yun reminds people how spiritually oriented the Chinese are, which is a complete threat to a CCP demanding sole loyalty,” he added.
Brownback stressed that Shen Yun is more than an artistic group—it’s a guardian of Chinese traditional culture, presenting pre-communist Chinese civilization and challenging the CCP’s cultural control. “Shen Yun represents thousands of years of Chinese history and culture, which its supporters want to bring back to China,” he said. He urged the U.S. to amplify traditional Chinese culture by supporting Shen Yun, thereby weakening the CCP’s ideological grip. He suggested that Americans and the government promote Shen Yun performances, such as inviting Shen Yun artists to share their experiences publicly or condemning CCP transnational repression through diplomatic channels, to raise awareness of the CCP’s cultural suppression and inspire resistance.
Tuidang movement: A potential force for change in China
Brownback also discussed the Tuidang (Quit the CCP) movement, a grassroots initiative launched by Falun Gong practitioners encouraging Chinese people to renounce their affiliations with the CCP and its related organizations, such as the Communist Youth League and Young Pioneers. Since the 2004 publication of “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party,” over 450 million people have participated, reflecting growing discontent with the CCP.
Brownback viewed the Tuidang movement as a potential force for internal change in China. “I hope we can tell this story more,” he said, praising Falun Gong practitioners’ persistence and courage in encouraging withdrawals through face-to-face conversations despite extreme persecution. The movement not only challenges CCP rule but also signals a growing moral awakening among Chinese people. He emphasized that information is a key weapon against the CCP, which uses its “Great Firewall” to censor atrocities like forced organ harvesting. The Tuidang movement’s success shows that once truth spreads, public awakening is unstoppable. He urged the U.S. government to invest in technologies to help Chinese people bypass the Great Firewall and access uncensored information.
US should publicly support Falun Gong and promote Shen Yun
At the “China Forum,” Brownback declared, “The CCP is waging a war on faith, and it’s a war it cannot win.” He stressed that religious freedom is not just a human rights issue but a U.S. national security concern. “For China, religious freedom threatens the CCP’s survival. In America, religious freedom is our founding principle, and undermining it threatens our survival,” he said.
Brownback called for concrete U.S. actions to support Falun Gong, Shen Yun, and the Tuidang movement to weaken the CCP’s rule, offering the following recommendations:
- Publicly Support Falun Gong: He urged the White House to meet with Mr. Li Hongzhi and publicly affirm Falun Gong’s right to religious freedom. “This would create immense pressure in China, as you’re speaking for hundreds of millions,” he said, noting Falun Gong’s organized resistance potential.
- Promote Shen Yun：He encouraged Americans and the government to support Shen Yun, such as inviting artists to share experiences on radio or public platforms and condemning CCP transnational repression diplomatically. “Shen Yun showcases the beautiful Chinese culture suppressed by the CCP. We should help spread this message,” he said.
- Support the Tuidang Movement: He advocated for U.S. investment in technologies to bypass the Great Firewall, enabling more Chinese to learn the truth and join the movement, accelerating public awakening.
- Elevate Religious Freedom to National Security: He argued that religious freedom should rise from a human rights issue to a U.S. national security priority. “Religious freedom is our most powerful tool, embodying our core values,” he said. Supporting Falun Gong, Shen Yun, and Tuidang can weaken the CCP, a “temporary adversary” to the U.S.
Historical lessons: Reagan’s moral clarity
Brownback frequently cited President Reagan’s approach to the Soviet Union as a model for confronting the CCP. Reagan’s public condemnation of Soviet human rights abuses inspired hope among oppressed groups and spurred internal change. “Reagan used clear language to show America and the free world who we were facing,” he said. Similarly, Brownback advocated for moral clarity in addressing the CCP, publicly exposing its persecution of Falun Gong and transnational repression of Shen Yun. He rejected “coexistence” with the CCP, stating, “You don’t negotiate with evil—you drive it out.” This stance supports human rights and defends U.S. national security.
U.S. legislation addressing CCP persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999, condemning imprisonment, torture, and organ harvesting. Resolutions like H.Con.Res.218 (1999), H.Res.188 (2002), H.Res.304 (2004), and H.Res.605 (2010) consistently denounced the persecution. H.Res.343 (2016) focused on organ harvesting and passed unanimously. The Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act (H.R.1154, 2023) passed the House, while the Falun Gong Protection Act (H.R.4132/S.4914, 2024) mandates sanctions on perpetrators and bans U.S.-China organ transplant cooperation, passing the House on June 25, 2024, with Senate review pending. In 2025, H.R.1540 and S.817, also the Falun Gong Protection Act, introduced by Perry and Cruz, passed the House unanimously on May 5, imposing visa bans and asset freezes, with Senate deliberation ongoing. These bills, evolving from non-binding resolutions to binding sanctions, reflect the U.S.’s hardening stance against the CCP’s 26-year atrocities, aiming to end them.
Congressional actions give Brownback hope, as do the Tuidang movement’s success and Shen Yun’s global influence. Invoking Reagan’s spirit, he encouraged Americans and the government to boldly confront the CCP, defending religious freedom and human rights values.
