Frank Langfitt

In my old neighborhood, there are three skyscrapers. They're taller than the Empire State Building and lovely restaurants along the river. And so when you look at it, there's no sign of the authoritarian state. But here's the part that's super creepy. I could also take you about 20 minutes from there to a public park where I did some reporting.

And there are these little holiday cottages where the government would detain critics without any charges. They would just hold them there for days. And it would be really strange because kids would be playing in the park near the pond, around the cottages. The public had no idea what was going on inside.

And there are these little holiday cottages where the government would detain critics without any charges. They would just hold them there for days. And it would be really strange because kids would be playing in the park near the pond, around the cottages. The public had no idea what was going on inside.

And there are these little holiday cottages where the government would detain critics without any charges. They would just hold them there for days. And it would be really strange because kids would be playing in the park near the pond, around the cottages. The public had no idea what was going on inside.

No, authoritarianism in China is mostly invisible most of the time.

No, authoritarianism in China is mostly invisible most of the time.

No, authoritarianism in China is mostly invisible most of the time.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Exactly.

I see what's happening in the U.S. through a very different lens because like some of those folks that you were hearing from, from overseas who've lived in authoritarian countries, I too have recognized some of these things. And what I'd like to do is talk about this one human rights activist that I've been in touch with, particularly the last couple of years. Her name's Yaqiu Wang. She's Chinese.

I see what's happening in the U.S. through a very different lens because like some of those folks that you were hearing from, from overseas who've lived in authoritarian countries, I too have recognized some of these things. And what I'd like to do is talk about this one human rights activist that I've been in touch with, particularly the last couple of years. Her name's Yaqiu Wang. She's Chinese.

I see what's happening in the U.S. through a very different lens because like some of those folks that you were hearing from, from overseas who've lived in authoritarian countries, I too have recognized some of these things. And what I'd like to do is talk about this one human rights activist that I've been in touch with, particularly the last couple of years. Her name's Yaqiu Wang. She's Chinese.

She lives here in Washington.

She lives here in Washington.

She lives here in Washington.

She grew up not too far from Shanghai. She first learned English while listening to Voice of America online. And she says that when she was a teenager, she kind of fell in love with democracy.

She grew up not too far from Shanghai. She first learned English while listening to Voice of America online. And she says that when she was a teenager, she kind of fell in love with democracy.

She grew up not too far from Shanghai. She first learned English while listening to Voice of America online. And she says that when she was a teenager, she kind of fell in love with democracy.

Wang, she moves to America for college. And then during the Arab Spring, there was this talk of some kind of a similar Jasmine Revolution in China. So Wang, she goes on this anonymous Twitter account that she set up, and she encouraged people to go out and protest. Well, the next year, Aisha, she flies back to Shanghai, and she's almost immediately detained by police.