About Ren Wanding
Born 1944. Ren Wanding is a Chinese human rights defender.
Ren Wanding (; born c. 1944 After his release, he worked as an accountant. In 1988, he published an essay through foreign press commemorating the movement's tenth anniversary. When asked if he feared a second imprisonment, Ren replied, "I went through some very frightening experiences ... But China has no democracy and no human rights, and its living standard is too low. These are even more frightening."
In 1989, he was arrested again for speaking at the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, leading Amnesty International to name him a prisoner of conscience. In 1992, authorities evicted Ren's wife and daughter from their home. Ren was reported to be suffering from untreated cataracts and severe haemorrhoids in 1993, leading AI to issue a medical alert on his behalf. He was released in June 1996 after serving his full sentence.
After Ren's release, he attempted to register the China Democracy Party (CDP) as a legal political party, but police officers were stationed outside his home to stop him from filing the application. The incident caused a split in the leadership of the dissident movement when fellow dissident Xu Wenli founded his own branch of the CDP as a rival to Ren's. Ren stated that Xu was "raping the party" and "stepping on others" in his ambition, while Xu called Ren a "weak person" who had renounced his claim to lead the party.
In 2001, Ren supported China's successful bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics, stating that he hoped the event would empower the reform movement: "China needs to improve its human rights ... Opposing the Olympics won't help reach that goal." In 2007, Chinese authorities gave him permission to visit Hong Kong.
Ren has a wife, Zhang Fengying, and one daughter.
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Important facts
People in Ren Wanding's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Ren Wanding's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Ren Wanding?
Chinese dissident
When was Ren Wanding born?
Ren Wanding was born in 1944.
What is Ren Wanding's occupation?
Ren Wanding is a human rights defender.
What nationality is Ren Wanding?
Ren Wanding is Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ren Wanding. https://biography.guide/ren-wanding/
MLA: "Ren Wanding." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ren-wanding/.
Chicago: "Ren Wanding." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ren-wanding/.
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