15 Facts About Feng Zhenghu

Feng Zhenghu was born on 1 July 1954 and is a Chinese economist and scholar based in Shanghai.

Feng Zhenghu was released in 2004 and has since written critical pieces highlighting alleged malpractice by local governments and forced evictions.

Outside mainland China, Feng Zhenghu is best known for having been refused re-entry into mainland China eight times in 2009, despite being a Chinese citizen.

Feng Zhenghu protested and remained in the immigration hall of Narita International Airport for 92 days, attracted concern from Asian activists, and received worldwide media attention.

Feng Zhenghu started his business in the 1980s and later founded the Institute of China Business Development.

Feng Zhenghu criticized the Chinese government and the People's Liberation Army for suppressing the democratization of the Chinese society.

Feng Zhenghu later went to study in Japan and returned to mainland China, and was imprisoned in 2001 for "illegal business activities".

Since 2007 Feng Zhenghu edited "Supervision Bulletin" a 1000-copy circulation monthly newsletter reporting on cases of social injustices and official breaches of the law, such as studies of ordinary folk who had had their property seized or had rights violated by the authorities.

Feng Zhenghu edited four volumes of I want to post a suit: Casebook of the non-action of the Shanghai Judicial Authority, which contain 430 case studies of violations of citizens' civil rights have been violated and how their rights of appeal have been infringed.

Feng Zhenghu spent his time on a couch near an immigration checkpoint in the south wing of Terminal 1 of Narita Airport, subsisting on snacks given to him by travellers and activists.

Feng Zhenghu has been likened to the Tom Hanks character in Steven Spielberg's 2004 film The Terminal, and has watched the film on DVD.

From 3 December 2009, the airport authorities issued daily notices to Mr Feng Zhenghu, requesting him to leave the arrival zone and be admitted into Japan.

Finally, after several visits by Chinese diplomats from Tokyo, Feng Zhenghu announced on 2 February 2010 that he was going to enter Japan on the next day in anticipation of being allowed to return to Shanghai by mid February.

On 8 February 2010, Feng Zhenghu publicly announced his plan to return to Shanghai.

Feng Zhenghu's house was raided more than 10 times since his return from enforced exile, he had telephones and 13 computers seized, and has alleged having been physically assaulted and suffers from consequential knee and spine injuries as he has been denied medical treatment.