GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Chinese man is biking across the U.S., and on Saturday he made a stop in Grand Rapids. His motivation is to fight and keep Hong Kong free from the mainland of China.
Lee has stopped to rest after his several-thousand-mile ride to the East Coast.
"From California, I passed Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado," Lee said.
You might remember the images from Hong Kong back in 2019. Millions of people opposed a bill that would allow extradition from Hong Kong to China.
The city's top leader put an end to that bill. The protests continued and eventually shaped towards making Hong Kong a greater democracy.
"I like the free lifestyle. That's why I hate the Communist Party. I don't like the censorship in China," Lee told FOX 17.
Lee is originally from a small village near Beijing. When he was older, he studied sociology at a university in Tokyo. In 2019, he dropped out to pursue the movement growing in Hong Kong.
Lee feels that it's his mission to continue even though the demonstrations have ended.
"It's quite, you know, it's quite sad," he added.
His journey almost ended when a drunk driver hit him in North Dakota last year. However, he continues to spread awareness to free Hong Kong.
"I feel like, you know, it was a revolution. And I should do something amazing than just, you know, sitting down in the classroom," he said.
Lee rides about 50 miles and has decided to travel only during the day after his accident. He plans to continue his journey to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. before the ending in Boston.
You can follow his trip on Facebook and Instagram
Lee sometimes finds himself sleeping outside in a tent. There are moments like in Grand Rapids where someone opens their doors so he has a warm bed to sleep in at night. Lee says he's thankful for WarmShowers, which is a community of bikers that help put fellow bikers up for the night.
