By Xiao Ran, Vision Times
At the 2026 Winter Olympics held in Milan, Italy, Chinese-American figure skater Alysa Liu captivated audiences with her dazzling performances full of impeccably-executed jumps and twirls. As Liu won gold in the women’s singles event, she ended a 24-year drought for the United States in figure skating. Her free-spirited personality and authentic presence also quickly won admiration from fans worldwide.
Liu’s victory has also drawn renewed attention to her family background. Her father, Arthur Liu, was a participant in the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement before later moving to the U.S. Now, in an exclusive interview with Vision Times, Zhou Fengsuo, a prominent Chinese democracy activist and longtime friend of Arthur Liu, reflected on Alysa Liu’s journey and what her Olympic triumph represents for exiled Tiananmen activists and their families.
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Zhou, who has known Liu since childhood and describes himself as an “uncle” figure to her, said her victory carries deep symbolic meaning for a generation shaped by the events of 1989.
An unforgettable moment
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Zhou said he was moved to tears when Alysa Liu captured the Olympic gold medal. Even before the singles event, Liu had already become one of the most beloved athletes of the Games following the team competition. “She skates with an ease and naturalness that feels completely authentic,” Zhou said. “Figure skating is usually highly structured, where every step must be carefully controlled. But her performance felt free.”
He said Liu’s warmth that saw her hugging fellow competitors and celebrating openly, along with her emotional reaction when the U.S. national anthem played, resonated strongly with audiences. “America is a free country, and people admire those who stay true to themselves,” Zhou said. “Her free-spirited, sincere attitude fits perfectly with the ideals Americans admire.”
Zhou also recalled the moment the U.S. flag rose and Liu placed her hand over her heart, visibly emotional. “In today’s America, genuine expressions of pride in the country are sometimes rare among young people,” he said. “But Alysa Liu’s heartfelt pride moved many people.”
A win for human rights
Liu’s victory quickly sparked discussion across Chinese-language social media. Zhou noted that the Chinese-speaking online community on X erupted in celebration after her win. Even within mainland China, many people began learning about her father’s background and the history of the 1989 Tiananmen protests.
“Her image is very positive,” Zhou said. “It has brought greater recognition and sympathy for those who experienced June Fourth firsthand.” He added that the attention surrounding Liu has made the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to erase the memory of Tiananmen more difficult.
“This is a very meaningful moment,” Zhou said. “It makes the CCP’s efforts to erase the history of June Fourth much more transparent.”
Growing up in the Bay
Zhou has known the Liu family for decades. Both families lived in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, where their children often celebrated birthdays together. He remembers Alysa Liu as an energetic child. “She was always lively and full of energy,” Zhou said.
Arthur Liu, despite working as a lawyer, devoted enormous time and effort to raising his five children, Zhou said. “Arthur is a lawyer, but he often provided legal assistance to political refugees for free,” Zhou explained. “He helped many Chinese dissidents apply for asylum in the United States.”
Though the family did not have significant financial resources, Arthur Liu personally drove his daughter to competitions and training sessions. “He is a very devoted father,” Zhou said. “He has compassion, responsibility, and incredible perseverance.”
Zhou recalled seeing Liu studying while eating at a modest Shanghai restaurant in Oakland. “She was doing homework while eating,” he said. “That kind of natural upbringing is very different from the state-manufactured success stories we often see.”
Rejecting Beijing’s harrassment
Zhou said Liu’s family also demonstrated remarkable resolve in resisting pressure from the Chinese Communist Party. According to Zhou, Liu declined offers and incentives from Beijing to represent China in international competitions. “She showed tremendous integrity,” Zhou said. “The CCP heavily promotes athletes who serve its narrative, but Alysa Liu represents individual freedom and the full realization of one’s potential in a free society.”
Zhou believes Liu’s example offers a powerful message to young people. “She shows that success does not have to be driven by fame or financial gain,” he said. “Her sense of justice and independence are inspiring.”
Zhou also noted that Liu’s story has often been compared with that of other Chinese-American athletes who chose to compete for China. Both Alysa Liu and several other high-profile athletes grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, yet their choices reflect very different personal and political paths.
Zhou described Liu’s journey as one of “natural growth” within a free society. “Alysa Liu’s success is a genuine expression of the American dream,” he said. “She grew up in relatively modest circumstances and achieved the pinnacle through her own effort.”
A legacy that lives on
For Zhou, Liu’s Olympic victory represents something even deeper. He believes it offers encouragement to the children of Chinese dissidents who have endured hardship due to their parents’ political activism. “The children of the June Fourth generation have paid a heavy price,” Zhou said. “Many of them have grown up under the shadow of political persecution.”
For that reason, Liu’s success carries profound emotional meaning. “Her brilliance is rare,” Zhou said. “For those of us from the June Fourth generation and the next generation that followed, it brings tremendous comfort.”
He hopes Liu’s story will inspire more young Chinese around the world to embrace freedom and dignity. “June Fourth remains a sensitive and suppressed topic among Chinese communities,” Zhou said. “But Alysa Liu has helped bring the truth of that history into wider view.”
