Lee's Pushbike Appeal Arrives in Wollongong

18-12-2002

Mr. Cheezong Lee, a resident of Bankstown, is cycling over 500 kilometres from Sydney to Canberra in an attempt to obtain signatures for a petition to have his Christmas present and letter delivered through the Australian government to his fiancée, Ms. Li Ying, in a Chinese labour camp.

Mr. Lee and Ms. Li Ying were engaged in January 2001 and in September 2001 Mr. Lee lodged an application for her to come to Australia. Unfortunately, in the middle of the visa application process by the Australian Embassy in Beijing, Ms Li was illegally arrested and detained in a female labour camp in Shanghai, simply because she gave out a VCD titled "The True Story of Falun Gong".

Mr. Lee went back to China in 2001, intending to visit Ying. However, before he could see her, he was expelled from China by the police without any official reason.

Wollongong is the first stop on his journey, where he will be visiting and asking local MP's to sign the petition in support of his desperate and determined plea to the Australian Government to have his simple wishes delivered to his loved fiancée. Mr. Lee went through a long and arduous journey to arrive in Wollongong around 9pm on Monday night. The next morning, he received warm welcome by the local media. The local television station: WIN TV, and the Illawarra Mercury newspaper interviewed him and took photos of him. The local news reported his petition trip on the 6pm news the same night.

This is also part of the "Global Family Rescue Campaign" which is taking place in sixteen countries.

Mr. Lee's next stop from Wollongong is Kiama on his way to Nowra where he is expected to meet federal MPs.