Actor’s Death Fuels Political Awakening Among Chinese

As of Oct. 17, more than 453 million people have declared their withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations.

A bolt of lightning crosses the sky as people look at buildings displaying a light show on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing on June 30, 2021. Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images

News Analysis

More than a month after the mysterious death of Chinese actor and singer Yu Menglong, public anger over the case continues to reverberate across China and overseas Chinese communities.

What began as an outcry for justice has now fueled a growing movement of Chinese people publicly renouncing their membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated youth organizations—a symbolic act of resistance long suppressed inside China.

Public Outrage Fuels a Political Awakening

Chinese state media reported that Yu, 37, allegedly fell to his death from a building in Beijing on Sept. 11. Chinese authorities swiftly ruled out foul play, but the official narrative has done little to calm widespread suspicion. Discussion of Yu’s death was quickly censored online, and police detained users who questioned the investigation, according to netizens.

Various suspicions have since circulated that Yu was punished for resisting powerful industry figures, pointing to ties with top CCP officials. Chinese authorities have not addressed the allegations.

Despite censorship, Yu’s case continues to spark public outrage. On Sept. 20, Chinese expats launched an overseas petition calling for justice for Yu; as of Oct. 17, it had gathered more than 465,000 signatures.

Yu Menglong Weibo

‘Quit the CCP’ Movement Gains Momentum

Beyond the immediate calls for justice, Yu’s death has reignited a broader “Quit the CCP” campaign, a movement encouraging Chinese people to formally renounce membership in the CCP, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers of China.

The “Quit the CCP” movement began more than two decades ago after The Epoch Times published a series of editorials titled “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.” As of Oct. 17, more than 453 million people have declared their withdrawal from the Party and its affiliated organizations, according to the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP, a volunteer group that assists those who withdraw and keeps a tally.

The center has also published “Quit the CCP” statements, and many of the recent submissions explicitly cited Yu’s case as their motivation.

(L–R) Piero Tozzi, senior policy adviser to Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Robert Destro, former assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, and Smith stand together with people who receive certificates for quitting the Chinese Communist Party-affiliated organizations, in Washington, on July 17, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

A 22-year-old from Henan province wrote: “After seeing how the CCP shields wrongdoers with the power of the state, I can no longer stay silent. I hereby nullify every oath I ever made to the Party.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, describing Yu’s death as a breaking point in their disillusionment with the Chinese regime. Li Fangfang, who now lives in Canada, stated that Yu’s case opened her eyes to the brutality of the system.

“China today is a massive meat grinder,” she wrote. “Ordinary people are just spare parts for the red [communist] elite. I’m quitting the Communist Youth League and Young Pioneers for good.”

Even those once proud of their patriotism are rethinking their loyalty. Li Shuai, a Chinese expat in the United States, said Yu’s death shattered his long-held beliefs.

“I’ve always considered myself extremely patriotic. Because of the education we received growing up, we were taught to believe that without the Party, we wouldn’t have the good life we enjoy today,” he wrote.

“But with modern technology, it’s no longer possible to completely block information. Many of the things they’ve deliberately tried to cover up are now being exposed one after another.

“The case of Yu Menglong, in particular, has left me deeply unsettled and unable to find peace.”

Li pointed out that when he attempted to post about Yu’s death on Chinese social media, his posts were consistently deleted and censored by the authorities, which led to his decision to renounce all ties to the CCP.

Growing Interest in Taiwanese Media

In Taiwan—the self-ruled island that the CCP claims as its own with threats of a military invasion—media outlets have closely followed Yu’s death and the ensuing surge in “Quit the CCP” declarations.

Mainstream Taiwanese media have highlighted what they describe as a rising wave of political awakening among Chinese people, citing data from the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP.

Wang Zhiyuan, chair of the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP, told The Epoch Times that Taiwan’s coverage reflects growing recognition of the CCP’s failures.

“Through the Yu Menglong incident, the Chinese people have seen the corruption and evil nature of the CCP, and their illusions about it have been shattered,” he said.

“Even many of the so-called Little Pinks (young nationalists) are beginning to change. This reflects a spiritual awakening, or a search for liberation among Chinese people. It shows that, on every level—spiritual, social, and economic—the CCP’s rule is collapsing.”

Analysts See Signs of a Crumbling System

Former Chinese lawyer Zhou Junhong described the “Quit the CCP” movement as a form of “spiritual self-rescue.” She argued that as more Chinese people realize that the CCP’s authoritarian control is the root of many of China’s injustices, public trust in the regime is eroding.

“There is no truth and no justice in China,” Zhou said. “Only by completely severing ties with the CCP can one save themselves. In fact, this is a way of rising and fighting back [against the regime].”

Wang added that a notable change in recent months is that more people are now using their real names when renouncing the CCP, a level of courage rarely seen before. He said that between April and August this year, more than 60 young people from China publicly accepted “the Certificate of Quitting the CCP” during overseas rallies.

For many observers who spoke to The Epoch Times, these acts suggest that Yu’s death has come to symbolize more than a celebrity tragedy—it has become a catalyst for reflection and resistance, marking a moment of reckoning for a generation of Chinese people increasingly unwilling to remain silent under CCP control.

Ning Haizhong and Luo Ya contributed to this report.