Interview by Xiao Ran, Vision Times
For Arthur Liu, watching his daughter Alysa stand atop the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy represented far more than a sporting achievement. It was the culmination of a journey that began decades earlier — when Liu fled China after participating in the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement and fled to the United States in search of a better life for his family.
In the first part of this exclusive interview, Liu reflected on his daughter’s path from a young prodigy to Olympic champion and the family’s journey after escaping communist China. In the second installment, he discusses a different side of that story: How Alysa developed her views on freedom and human rights, why he rejected attempts by Beijing to recruit her, and how the family confronted concerns about surveillance and transnational repression surrounding the Beijing Olympics.
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Learning about China’s history
Vision Times reporter Xiao Ran: You participated in the 1989 Tiananmen student movement. When did you start sharing your personal experiences and China’s history, including human rights issues, with Alysa? Do you think those conversations shaped her worldview about China and about freedom and human rights?
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Arthur Liu: “When she was around 11 or 12 years old, I told her about my personal experiences — why I left mainland China and what role I played in the 1989 democracy movement, organizing student marches and demonstrations demanding democracy and freedom.”
He recalled that Alysa responded with curiosity rather than fear. “After hearing it, she thought, ‘Dad’s experiences are so wild and cool.’ She was very happy about what I did.”
Liu said that growing up in the United States meant his daughter already lived in an environment where democratic values were taken for granted. “In the United States, freedom and democracy are everyday things. You can criticize whoever you want, that’s a basic human right that cannot be taken away.”
Because of that environment, he said he never felt the need to actively “teach” those principles. “She grew up in a free society, so those ideas came naturally. There was no need to indoctrinate her,” said Liu.
Awareness of human rights issues
Vision Times: Has Alysa paid special attention to human rights issues in China? We noticed she once shared posts about Xinjiang on her Instagram.
Arthur Liu: “In 2018, I remember she reposted some news reports on Instagram saying the Chinese government had concentration camps in Xinjiang and was depriving Uyghurs of their freedom.”
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He said the posts showed that his daughter had become aware of global human rights issues at an early age. “So you can see that she does care about human rights.” According to Liu, her growing reputation in American figure skating may have drawn the attention of Chinese authorities. “At that time she had already become somewhat famous in U.S. figure skating. I believe the Communist Party and the Chinese government were aware of it.”
He suspects this attention contributed to increased surveillance of the family ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. “That may be why the CCP went to great lengths to send people to collect intelligence about me and about her. They were probably worried we might use the Olympics as an opportunity to say things the Chinese government didn’t want to hear.”
Rejecting Beijing’s recruitment attempts
Vision Times: In other interviews you mentioned that you personally did not want your daughter to compete for the Chinese Communist Party. Did Alysa feel the same way?
Arthur Liu: “Yes. Many people have asked about that.”
He revealed that representatives connected to China had previously contacted the family. “There was contact from the Chinese side before that. That’s all I can say, I only want to say that much.” However, Liu said his position was firm from the beginning. “If China were a democratic country that respected freedom and human rights, I would love China. I still have many relatives there, and I love the Chinese people.”
But he drew a clear distinction between the Chinese people and the ruling regime. “For such a big country, people are not allowed basic freedom of speech. There are political prisoners, and dissidents are imprisoned for all kinds of reasons.”
Because of this, he said, Beijing’s offers held no appeal. “From that perspective, no amount of money would make me betray my beliefs and allow her to represent China, the CCP, at the Olympics.”
Asked whether Alysa shares that view, Liu responded emphatically. “If you asked her today whether she would represent the CCP at the Olympics, she would immediately say: ‘No way! No way!’”
Concerns during the Beijing Olympics
Vision Times: When Alysa learned about reports of CCP transnational repression, including surveillance, intimidation, or monitoring, how did she react? Were you worried about her safety, especially since you have continued publicly criticizing the CCP?
Arthur Liu: “Of course I was worried. She is my daughter, after all.”
He noted that the 2022 Winter Olympics were held in Beijing, placing athletes under the authority of the Chinese government. “When she was going into Beijing, into the CCP’s territory, we could not predict what they might do.”
However, Liu said the United States put extensive security measures in place. “The U.S. team had security personnel, the U.S. Olympic Committee had staff dedicated to protecting athletes, the State Department had people there, and the U.S. Figure Skating Association had representatives.”
According to Liu, organizers ensured that Alysa was always accompanied by at least two adults when traveling between venues. “So though I was very worried, she wanted to go to the Olympics and she had that opportunity. I wanted to help her achieve her dream.”
He added that he himself was unable to enter China during the event. “At that time there were no spectators at the Olympics anyway because of zero-COVID restrictions.”
Advice for parents of young athletes
Vision Times: Many parents have children with special talents. What advice would you give them about balancing encouragement with giving their children freedom, especially when they face setbacks?
Arthur Liu: “Speaking as someone who has been through it, when she didn’t want to skate anymore, I honestly didn’t know what to do.”
Watching his daughter struggle emotionally during training was painful. “She was preparing for the Olympics, which should have been a joyful experience, but she felt a lot of pressure.” When Alysa retired for two years, Liu said it was difficult for him as well. “We had spent so much time, money, and effort supporting her career. She was only 16, and her full potential as a skater had not yet been realized.”
Yet he said he learned an important lesson. “Even though I was sad, I had to respect her choice.” Forcing children to pursue something against their will can backfire, he said, adding, “If parents or coaches push too hard, it can make things worse.”
Instead, he emphasized communication and paying attention to a child’s emotional state, especially when it comes to elite athletes competing at the highest level. “Figure skating is a very demanding sport. If your heart isn’t in it, it’s easy to get injured.” Allowing Alysa to step away eventually helped her rediscover her motivation. “When she decided to come back on her own, she had the drive again.”
Looking ahead
Vision Times: Will Alysa continue pursuing her skating career?
Arthur Liu: “To be honest, since she came back from the Olympics I haven’t even seen her yet.”
He laughed while describing how busy her schedule has become. “She quickly went to Boston for an ice show, and today I saw her on NBC’s Today Show in New York.” Like many fans, Liu said he often learns about his daughter’s activities online. “I follow her news just like everyone else.”
When asked whether she might compete in the 2030 Winter Olympics in France, Liu said she has expressed interest. “She said she loves France, so she really wants to go.”
