The Chinese Youth Support Tibet Association reported on September 20 that Zhang Yadi, a Chinese student who had been studying in France, returned to China in July to visit her family and then went missing for several days. On July 31, she was taken into criminal detention by the National Security Bureau in Changsha, Hunan Province, on suspicion of “inciting national separatism.” Lawyers appointed by her family were denied access to meet her, with authorities citing “state secrets” as the reason.
While studying in Paris, Zhang, fluent in Chinese, Tibetan, English, and French, actively engaged in academic and social issues. She supported the Blank Paper Movement – a protest against China’s zero-COVID and lockdown policies – and contributed to the editorial work of the Chinese Youth Support Tibet Association. The platform, which emerged after the movement, seeks to rally Chinese youth in support of Tibet, promote Tibetan culture, ease ethnic tensions, and advance transitional justice and reconciliation.
Analysts say Zhang’s detention reflects the Chinese Communist Party’s transnational crackdown. The CCP is closely monitoring Chinese students’ human rights activities abroad, fostering a climate of fear that extends even to those overseas.
Source: Central News Agency, September 20, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202509200189.aspx