Wei Jingsheng in Leiden Wei Jingsheng (b.1950) is China's best-known dissident. He spent more than half of his adult life in prison for the peaceful expression of his political beliefs. In 1978 Wei wrote an essay entitled 'The Fifth Modernization' in which he stated that, without democracy, China could not truly modernize. His essay caused a sensation: not only because of its open assault on the Communists, but also because the author dared to sign his name and address on the essay. In 1979 Wei was convicted of 'counterrevolution' and sentenced to fifteen years in prison. After his release in 1993 Wei continued his work for human rights and democracy. He was imprisoned again until 1997 when he was put on a plane bound for the United States. Wei maintains he was not freed, but that is exile is further punishment.
Since he has left China Wei has incessantly brought the issue of human rights and democracy in China to the attention of the world. Amongst others he has been received by President Clinton of the United States, President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, and by President Lee Tenghui of Taiwan. On March 10, 1999, Wei Jingsheng again expressed his political opinions in a debate with students in the Academy Building of the Leiden University. The debate was organized by the Dutch United Nations Student Association (SIB) and the Students' Association of Sinology (SVS), both in Leiden and co-sponsored by the International Institute for Asian Studies.