Anti-Xi protesters wave Taiwan flags in San Francisco amid APEC

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hundreds of activists hit the streets of the San Fransico Bay Area to protest against Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) as he attended the APEC Leader's Meeting and held talks with President Joe Biden.

Xi arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday (Nov. 14) to take part in the 11th annual APEC summit. In response, protestors waving Taiwanese, Tibetan, and East Turkestan flags gathered at many stages of his trip to the U.S., including the airport, outside the APEC venue, and outside the mansion where held talks with Biden, reported CNA.

In anticipation of such protests, San Francisco police on Nov. 11 erected metal fenced barricades around the summit's venue, the Moscone Center, and are restricting entry to authorized personnel. Nevertheless, protestors soon gathered outside holding signs that read "Xi Jinping, give me back my father, my property, my family, my justice, my human rights" and "China has concentration camps."

Anti-Xi protesters wave Taiwan flags in San Francisco amid APEC
(CNA photo)

On Wednesday (Nov. 15), Biden and Xi held the first face-to-face summit meeting in a year at the Filoli Estate. Protestors gathered in the parking lot outside the manor. Before Xi arrived, protesters held a "Pig-Killing Heroes Feast" outside the mansion to commemorate the "victims of tyranny" and they also planned to hold a rally outside a venue where Xi would be attending a banquet Wednesday evening.

Nearly 500 people, including a large number of Tibetans, as well as people from Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan gathered outside the Chinese consulate general in San Francisco to carry out an anti-Xi demonstration. One Taiwanese national was seen holding up a sign with an image of the Formosan black bear and the words "I am Taiwanese, not Chinese," while another person appeared in the crowd holding a Taiwan independence sign.

Anti-Xi protesters wave Taiwan flags in San Francisco amid APEC
(Reuters photo)

Around the APEC venue, hundreds of people reportedly walked on the streets outside for more than 10 minutes shouting slogans such as "China, the world is watching you." Protestors could be seen holding placards with slogans such as "Free Tibet," "Free Hong Kong," and "Resist against Xi Jinping," and many were seen waving Taiwan flags.

There were also protestors who could be heard shouting "Freedom for Vietnam" and demanding democracy in Vietnam while holding signs with Xi's portrait crossed out. However, there was also a substantial group of Chinese people seen holding China flags in support of Xi, though anti-Xi protestors alleged that they had been bused in and paid by United Front groups.

Anti-Xi protesters wave Taiwan flags in San Francisco amid APEC
(CNA photo)