Operation Yellowbird
Encyclopedia
Operation Yellowbird or Operation Siskin (黃雀行動), was a Hong Kong
-based operation to help the Chinese dissidents who participated in Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
to escape arrest by the PRC
government by facilitating their departure overseas via Hong Kong.
After China's government announced the "Wanted on leaders of Autonomous Union of Peking College Student" list on 13 June 1989, the operation began in late June 1989 and continued until 1997. Yellowbird successfully helped more than 400 dissidents, who were smuggled through Hong Kong, and then onwards to Western countries; some 15 of the top 21 "most wanted" student leaders were rescued. These included Wu'erkaixi
, Chai Ling
, Feng Cong-De, Chen Yi-Zi, and Su Xiao-Kang. Three Hong Kong based activists were arrested by Chinese authorities on the mainland, but later released after intervention by Hong Kong's government.
, Beijing issued a wanted list
of ringleaders of the protests. In response, activists in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, set up Operation Yellowbird in mid-June 1989 to help wanted activists escape from China.
, Yellowbird was financed mainly by Hong Kong businessmen and celebrities who sympathised with the plight of the activists, but extensive assistance also came from the colonial government.
The organizers of the Operation spent upwards of HK$600,000 (US$64,000) to rescue each activist and to cover other expenses to get them abroad. Amounts spent on the rescue would vary between HK$50,000 and $500,000 depending on the specific logistics taking account of the political risks, and number of attempts. More than HK$600,000 was spent and three attempts made before Wu'er managed to escape.
The operation was financed by Hong Kong businessmen, and a mobster, according to Newsweek; activists had initially collected $260,000 in donations from businessmen to fund the operation. One such businessman is Lo Hoi-sing
, who was arrested during the operation. Other benefactors included chanteuse Anita Mui
and filmmaker Alan Tang
. According to Szeto, both lent significant financial and material support to help activists. Szeto said "Tang had a lot of influence in Macau and got involved personally to save time but he remained low-key and never claimed his share of glory."
triad organisation had actively involved his organisation, equipment and clandestine smuggling routes: its vertically organised cells that were in direct contact with the rescue targets and directly accountable for the success of each mission. The CIA supplied materiel in the form of sophisticated equipment and other means of escape and subterfuge, and even weapons.
Yellowbird successfully helped more than 400 dissidents, who were smuggled through Hong Kong, and then onwards to Western countries. Wu'erkaixi
and Chai Ling
were among those who were helped to flee their homeland. Li Lu
, who later became an associate of Warren Buffett
, was also one of the rescued. In addition to pro-democracy activists, escapees included People's Liberation Army
soldiers and police staff, some of whom carried weapons when they arrived in Hong Kong.
Businessman Chan Tat-ching was described as a mastermind of the operation. Szeto's memoirs detail how the operation was highly confidential, and known to only six members of the Alliance. However, wine trader Chan Tat-ching, referred to by Szeto as only a logistician commanders, allegedly compromised the operation by divulging escape routes to mainland officials after his brother was arrested, and was sacked by Szeto.
Three Hong Kong based activists associated with the Operation were arrested by Chinese authorities on the mainland, but later released after intervention by Hong Kong's government. Chan himself managed to 'negotiate' himself out of trouble with the PRC in 1991, having convinced certain official interlocutors that his intentions were patriotic. However, Chan was seriously injured after being attacked by unknown assailants in Hong Kong in 1996. In 2002, Hong Kong democrat Leung Wah, who was also involved in the operation, died in mysterious circumstances in neighbouring Shenzhen. Although it was never proven one way or another, Leung's associates believe that he died at the hands of PRC security agents.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
-based operation to help the Chinese dissidents who participated in Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
to escape arrest by the PRC
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
government by facilitating their departure overseas via Hong Kong.
After China's government announced the "Wanted on leaders of Autonomous Union of Peking College Student" list on 13 June 1989, the operation began in late June 1989 and continued until 1997. Yellowbird successfully helped more than 400 dissidents, who were smuggled through Hong Kong, and then onwards to Western countries; some 15 of the top 21 "most wanted" student leaders were rescued. These included Wu'erkaixi
Wu'erkaixi
Wu'erkaixi was a Mainland Chinese student leader of Uyghur ethnicity in the Tiananmen protests of 1989. He was born in Beijing, but listed as a native of Yili, Xinjiang Autonomous Region. He achieved prominence while studying at Beijing Normal University as a hunger striker who rebuked Chinese...
, Chai Ling
Chai Ling
Chai Ling was one of the student leaders in the Tian'anmen Square protests of 1989. Today she is Founder of All Girls Allowed, a humanitarian organization working to restore value to girls in China.-Education and protest:Chai Ling's parents were members of the Communist Party...
, Feng Cong-De, Chen Yi-Zi, and Su Xiao-Kang. Three Hong Kong based activists were arrested by Chinese authorities on the mainland, but later released after intervention by Hong Kong's government.
Etymology
The operation obtained its name from the Chinese expression "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the yellow bird behind" (螳螂捕蟬，黃雀在後).Background
Days after the Chinese government quashed the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
, Beijing issued a wanted list
Fugitive
A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals...
of ringleaders of the protests. In response, activists in Hong Kong, including the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, set up Operation Yellowbird in mid-June 1989 to help wanted activists escape from China.
Financing
According to the posthumously-published memoirs of veteran Hong Kong political figure and leader of the Alliance, Szeto WahSzeto Wah
Szeto Wah was a politician of the pan-democracy camp of Hong Kong. He was formerly the chairman of The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China and a member of the Legislative Council from 1985 to 1997 and 1998 to 2004.Although the Hong Kong government prior to as...
, Yellowbird was financed mainly by Hong Kong businessmen and celebrities who sympathised with the plight of the activists, but extensive assistance also came from the colonial government.
The organizers of the Operation spent upwards of HK$600,000 (US$64,000) to rescue each activist and to cover other expenses to get them abroad. Amounts spent on the rescue would vary between HK$50,000 and $500,000 depending on the specific logistics taking account of the political risks, and number of attempts. More than HK$600,000 was spent and three attempts made before Wu'er managed to escape.
The operation was financed by Hong Kong businessmen, and a mobster, according to Newsweek; activists had initially collected $260,000 in donations from businessmen to fund the operation. One such businessman is Lo Hoi-sing
Lo Hoi-sing
Lo Hoi-sing was a Hong Kong businessman, born in a Hong Kong communist family. He is famous for rescuing Chinese dissidents in the Operation Yellowbird after Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. He was arrested in the operation in 1989...
, who was arrested during the operation. Other benefactors included chanteuse Anita Mui
Anita Mui
Anita Mui Yim-fong was a popular Hong Kong singer and actress. During her prime years she made major contributions to the cantopop music scene, while receiving numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout most of her career, and was generally regarded as a cantopop diva...
and filmmaker Alan Tang
Alan Tang
Alan Tang Kwong-Wing was a Hong Kong film actor, producer and director.-Biography:Tang was born in Shunde, Guangdong, China, He is the youngest of four children, having two older brothers and one older sister...
. According to Szeto, both lent significant financial and material support to help activists. Szeto said "Tang had a lot of influence in Macau and got involved personally to save time but he remained low-key and never claimed his share of glory."
Success and details of the operation
Newsweek maintains that rescue squads made incursions into Chinese territory, while US and British intelligence operatives were involved in the extractions. However, former US Ambassador to China, James Lilley, said Americans were involved "almost exclusively in legal exfiltrations." There was cooperation from foreign embassies for the asylum-seekers. An academic study of the operation revealed that a leader of the Sun Yee OnSun Yee On
Sun Yee On is one of the leading triads in Hong Kong and Mainland China, with the most members – more than 40,000 – worldwide....
triad organisation had actively involved his organisation, equipment and clandestine smuggling routes: its vertically organised cells that were in direct contact with the rescue targets and directly accountable for the success of each mission. The CIA supplied materiel in the form of sophisticated equipment and other means of escape and subterfuge, and even weapons.
Yellowbird successfully helped more than 400 dissidents, who were smuggled through Hong Kong, and then onwards to Western countries. Wu'erkaixi
Wu'erkaixi
Wu'erkaixi was a Mainland Chinese student leader of Uyghur ethnicity in the Tiananmen protests of 1989. He was born in Beijing, but listed as a native of Yili, Xinjiang Autonomous Region. He achieved prominence while studying at Beijing Normal University as a hunger striker who rebuked Chinese...
and Chai Ling
Chai Ling
Chai Ling was one of the student leaders in the Tian'anmen Square protests of 1989. Today she is Founder of All Girls Allowed, a humanitarian organization working to restore value to girls in China.-Education and protest:Chai Ling's parents were members of the Communist Party...
were among those who were helped to flee their homeland. Li Lu
Li Lu
Li Lu is a Chinese-American investment banker and fund manager. He is the founder and Chairman of Himalaya Capital Management...
, who later became an associate of Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
Warren Edward Buffett is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors in the world. Often introduced as "legendary investor, Warren Buffett", he is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is...
, was also one of the rescued. In addition to pro-democracy activists, escapees included People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
soldiers and police staff, some of whom carried weapons when they arrived in Hong Kong.
Businessman Chan Tat-ching was described as a mastermind of the operation. Szeto's memoirs detail how the operation was highly confidential, and known to only six members of the Alliance. However, wine trader Chan Tat-ching, referred to by Szeto as only a logistician commanders, allegedly compromised the operation by divulging escape routes to mainland officials after his brother was arrested, and was sacked by Szeto.
Three Hong Kong based activists associated with the Operation were arrested by Chinese authorities on the mainland, but later released after intervention by Hong Kong's government. Chan himself managed to 'negotiate' himself out of trouble with the PRC in 1991, having convinced certain official interlocutors that his intentions were patriotic. However, Chan was seriously injured after being attacked by unknown assailants in Hong Kong in 1996. In 2002, Hong Kong democrat Leung Wah, who was also involved in the operation, died in mysterious circumstances in neighbouring Shenzhen. Although it was never proven one way or another, Leung's associates believe that he died at the hands of PRC security agents.