Hong Kongs Secret 1990 Dissident Rescue | Generated by AI

Home 2026.02

I’ll search for information about Operation Yellowbird in Hong Kong around 1990.Question: What was Operation Yellowbird, the Hong Kong program around 1990?

Answer:

Operation Yellowbird (Chinese: 黃雀行動), also known as Operation Siskin, was a covert rescue operation launched from Hong Kong to help Chinese dissidents who participated in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 escape arrest by the Chinese government. The operation began in late June 1989, following the June 4 crackdown, and continued until 1997, coinciding with Hong Kong’s handover to China.

Origins and Purpose

After the Chinese government suppressed the pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing in June 1989, activists in Hong Kong—particularly the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China—established the operation to assist wanted dissidents escape from mainland China to safety in Western countries. The operation aimed to rescue political leaders before they were captured by the Chinese authorities.

Key Participants

The operation brought together an unusual alliance of diverse groups, including:

Notable organizers included Reverend Chu Yiu-Ming, Szeto Wah, actor John Sham Kin-Fun, and businessman Chan Tat-Ching.

Operations and Methods

Peak operational intensity occurred in 1990. The operation utilized multiple extraction methods, primarily involving speedboats that made high-speed runs from coastal areas near Shenzhen and other southern Chinese locations to Hong Kong under cover of darkness, evading patrol boats through superior speed and local knowledge. Escapees were then placed in safe houses like the Nai Chung camp and given forged travel documents before being processed for asylum in Western countries.

Outcomes and Success

Operation Yellowbird successfully helped more than 400 dissidents escape from mainland China. Notable escapees included Wu’erkaixi, Chai Ling, Li Lu, Feng Congde, and other prominent student leaders and intellectuals. Seven of the 21 most wanted students from the original list successfully escaped with the operation’s assistance.

The operation was primarily funded by private donations from Hong Kong businessmen and residents, raising approximately US$2 million in its early stages. The operation obtained its name from the Chinese idiom “The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the yellow bird behind,” symbolizing how the operation aimed to rescue dissidents before they were caught by the Chinese government’s extensive searches.

Challenges and Costs

The operation faced significant dangers, with some operatives captured and imprisoned by Chinese authorities. For example, Hong Kong businessman Lo Hoi-sing was arrested in 1989 and sentenced to five years in prison for harboring criminals. Key facilitator Chan Tat-Ching eventually withdrew from the operation in 1990 after his two operatives were arrested in a sting operation, though he managed to secure their release by agreeing to cease further activities.

References:

Back Donate