Congressman reads Epoch Times history on House floor.

On the House floor, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) shared the remarkable story of The Epoch Times and its unwavering commitment to providing uncensored information to readers worldwide, despite facing oppression from the Chinese communist regime.

Mr. Norman began by recounting the journey of John Tang, the founder of The Epoch Times. In 1999, Tang, a physics doctoral student at Georgia Tech, unexpectedly decided to launch a newspaper. Little did he know that two decades later, he would be leading the fourth-largest American newspaper by subscription count.

The Birth of The Epoch Times

In 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a brutal campaign against the spiritual discipline Falun Gong, which had millions of practitioners in China. The CCP, fearing the practice’s popularity, used state and private media outlets to demonize and isolate Falun Gong, spreading hate propaganda to justify their persecution.

John Tang, who had immigrated to the United States, witnessed the CCP’s propaganda machine in action and felt compelled to take a stand. With no prior experience or resources, Tang established Dajiyuan, the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times, in his Atlanta basement. His goal was to provide uncensored information to people in China and around the world. Despite the seemingly impossible odds, Tang’s endeavor attracted other Chinese Americans who abandoned their successful careers to join him.

The congressman then highlighted the CCP’s relentless efforts to suppress The Epoch Times. They threatened advertisers, launched cyberattacks, and even targeted the families of staff members in China. However, the newspaper persisted in upholding the truth.

Not only did The Epoch Times face harassment in China, but it also encountered attacks in the United States. In 2006, assailants broke into the home of Chief Engineer Peter Li, beat him, and stole his computers. In Hong Kong, assailants set fire to the newspaper’s printing press in 2019, and armed men damaged the printing equipment with sledgehammers in 2021.

Despite these challenges, The Epoch Times continued to fulfill its mission and had a significant impact on inspiring the “Quit the CCP” movement. Through its publication of the series “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party,” The Epoch Times exposed the true nature of the CCP, leading over 410 million Chinese people to sever their ties with the party and its affiliated organizations.

The Impact on the US

Recognizing the CCP’s infiltration efforts in the United States, especially within media organizations, The Epoch Times launched an English edition in 2003 and established a presence in print and online. The newspaper has been dedicated to providing accurate and unbiased news to counter the CCP’s propaganda.