(Image from https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-02-14/chinas-xi-expresses-support-for-iran-amid-western-pressure)
Watching Venezuelans continue their courageous fight for free and fair elections, and seeing Iranians risk their lives to resist an extremist regime, I am reminded that the desire for dignity, freedom, and self-determination is universal. These people are not driven by ideology or geopolitics; they are driven by the simple human need to live without fear and to have a voice in their own future.
As a Chinese national, this reality is especially painful to witness. Once again, the Chinese regime stands on the wrong side of history. Instead of standing with people who are struggling for liberty, it openly supports brutal dictators and authoritarian rulers—providing political cover for repression and helping silence those who ask only for basic rights. This is no coincidence. It reflects the Chinese Communist Party’s deep fear of democracy, accountability, and the power of ordinary people to demand change.
“Tito, Castro, Maduro, and Saddam Hussein are the Best Friends of the Chinese People.”
I grew up in China. When the government repeatedly told us that Tito of Yugoslavia was a heroic, strong, and great leader, we believed it. Only after I left China did I learn the truth. The Tito regime itself killed, in cold blood, an estimated 500,000 people—primarily those labeled as “collaborators,” “anti-communists,” rival guerrillas, and political critics. After the war, the regime likely killed even more people, including the wealthy, landlords, members of the bourgeoisie, clerics, and, by the late 1940s, even pro-Soviet communists (Rummel, 1997).
Later, Chinese propaganda portrayed Fidel Castro as “the best friend of the Chinese people.” At the time, we had no idea what he had done, and we assumed he was a benevolent leader. Only later did I learn the truth: the Castro regime was responsible for at least 10,723 deaths (Perry, 2016).
During the Iraq War, China’s state television network, CCTV, interrupted its regular programming to air live coverage of Operation Desert Storm. For weeks, Chinese military “experts” appeared on television, enthusiastically analyzing the conflict and confidently predicting that Saddam Hussein—portrayed as “the Chinese people’s best friend”—would easily defeat the U.S. military.
After dinner, we sat in front of the television watching the battle. Within about fifteen minutes, the same “experts” began claiming that Saddam’s best weapons had not yet been deployed. As we watched the screen, however, it already felt clear that the U.S. military had effectively won. Despite what we could see with our own eyes, the commentators continued to insist that Saddam would prevail.
Who Has Been Greedy for Oil?
Growing up, I was told time and again by Chinese propaganda that the United States went to Iraq for oil. Later, I heard the same story about Venezuela: the U.S. wanted Venezuelan oil. The message was always clear and confident.
The facts, however, tell a very different story.
- Iraq (Baghdad, 2025). China imports large volumes of Iraqi oil. In 2024, China imported about 1.28 million barrels per day, making Iraq one of China’s major oil suppliers.
- Venezuela (Forbes, 2026). In November 2025, Venezuela exported roughly 921,000 barrels per day of oil. About 80 percent of that—around 746,000 barrels per day—went to China. Much of this oil reached China through Malaysia’s ship-to-ship transshipment hubs or was rebranded to hide its origin. Reuters has reported that traders even labeled Venezuelan crude as “Brazilian” to bypass sanctions and scrutiny.
- Iran (Reuters, 2026). China receives the vast majority of Iran’s oil exports. In 2025, China imported an average of about 1.38 million barrels per day from Iran.
So when I look back at what I was told as a child, the irony is hard to ignore. The story I heard was that the United States was greedy for oil. The reality, revealed by today’s trade flows, points in the opposite direction.
Why China Remains Trapped Under Communist Control
After the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre, China returned to a dark era under Communist rule. For more than three decades, the Chinese people have had no way of knowing how many were killed by the government, and many have never seen the iconic image of the “Tank Man.” Any hope that China might move toward freedom and democracy never materialized. Instead, the country moved in the opposite direction. Xi Jinping removed presidential term limits from the constitution, effectively making himself a permanent ruler.
The Chinese Communist Party remains the only party in power. Capitalism exists, but only in a tightly controlled and conditional form. Business owners are allowed to make money as long as they show loyalty to the Party in public and maintain the right relationships behind the scenes—often through bribery. Success is tolerated, not protected, and only for those who understand where real power lies.
In short, while dictatorships elsewhere—from Venezuela to Iran—are showing signs of strain, China has charted a different course. Why?
I am not a political scientist, but as a Chinese national, I believe three factors help explain why China has struggled to transform into a free and democratic society: a lack of civic culture, limited open communication, and most important of all, in my opinion, the absence of Christianity as a moral and social foundation.
- Culture. For nearly 5,000 years, China was governed by emperors. In the eyes of many Chinese citizens, today’s Communist Party leaders are simply a modern version of that imperial authority. As long as the government allows people a means to earn a living and meet basic needs, most are unwilling to confront those in power. While some Chinese deeply value liberty and democracy, the majority prioritize stability and a peaceful life, even if that means sacrificing personal freedoms. This preference is understandable given historical experience, but it also limits the cultural conditions needed for China to transition toward a democratic society like the United States.
- Communication. Chinese authorities block major global platforms such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, Telegram, and WhatsApp—tools that are widely used in the United States and other free societies. The government tightly controls the internet, news outlets, and social media. When the rest of the world reports on how the Iranian regime has killed thousands of peaceful protesters demanding change, Chinese propaganda instead presents distorted narratives, claiming that Iranians are protesting the United States. Some widely circulated video clips on the central government media channels are fabricated or deliberately misrepresented—for example, footage related to Gaza is falsely portrayed as events in Iran. Similar misinformation has been spread about Venezuela under Maduro. As a result, most people in China have little access to independent information and few ways to learn the truth.
- Christianity. Although Christianity is formally permitted in China, foreign missionaries and evangelical churches are banned. Estimates place the number of Christians in China between 40 million and 100 million, but as a share of the population this remains very small (less than 1%), and Christians are often socially marginalized. This stands in sharp contrast to Venezuela, where during the 2024 election thousands of citizens publicly prayed in the streets for their country after Maduro was widely accused of stealing the election (Washington Post, 2024).
Hope Is Not a Strategy, but Prayer Is
As a Chinese national, I unequivocally condemn the rulers of the Chinese Communist Party. I hope—and believe—that more Chinese citizens will find the courage to stand up, reject dictatorship, and work toward a democratic China that respects freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.
Yet hope alone is not a strategy. Prayer is. Like many Venezuelans, I pray—and I invite you to pray with me—that our Lord Jesus will come and deliver China from the evils of communism.
(Wang Yi, pastor of the Early Rain church, has been imprisoned since 2018 because his ministry was gaining popularity and growing rapidly. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/13/china-christians-religious-persecution-translation-bible)