June 1992: Under the cover of night on the South China Sea, a Chinese patrol vessel intercepted a boat bound from mainland China to the then-British colony of Hong Kong.
As border troops boarded the vessel to question the crew, muffled voices emanated from a concealed compartment below deck.
Minutes prior, upon spotting the patrol boat, urgent instructions were given to these clandestine passengers.
“I was instructed to stay hidden,” recalls Yan Xiong, one of them. “Stay quiet!”
While most concealed individuals were economic migrants seeking opportunities in Hong Kong, Yan had a different motive.
As a political dissident, discovery would spell grave consequences.
Yan was part of a covert operation called Yellow Bird, facilitating his smuggling out of China.
With the patrol vessel’s departure, Yan, unfamiliar with sea travel until that night, safely arrived in Hong Kong in the wee hours.
Following a hearty breakfast, he found himself escorted to a detention center. Allegedly, it was for his own protection as navigating the streets posed considerable risks.