This English version may have been machine-generated from the Chinese original and may not convey the original meaning accurately.
Today, Times Square reached an unprecedented peak in foot traffic. The NBA Finals returned to New York this night, and the entire city seemed to become a giant high-energy magnetic field, filled everywhere with fans wearing jerseys and cheering with excitement.
At the center of this entertainment extravaganza belonging to sports, to revelry, and to a great metropolis of a great nation, the 5 of us once again raised our banner right on time.
1. Neon Lights of Revelry, and Suppressed Silence
Sports transcend national borders, and the perseverance, freedom, and passion that the NBA conveys are undoubtedly moving on a spiritual level.
However, standing at the center of this crossroads of the world, watching the prosperity before me, I sincerely thought:
In this world, there are still people living under authoritarian rule, who have no basic human rights, who suffer oppression, whose voices are stripped away, whose dignity is trampled upon.
The revelry of NBA night is real, but so are the threats under geopolitics and the silence under authoritarian rule.
While fans cheer for every goal, we stand here shouting for those who cannot speak out. We hope to use this seemingly out-of-place persistence to remind everyone who enjoys freedom: In the shadow of revelry, freedom and democracy still need to be defended, peace in Taiwan still faces threats, and China's constitutionalism and rule of law still need someone to knock on the door.
2. A 50th Milestone, and a New Face from Philadelphia
In this 50th action of special significance, the number of attendees was 5 people.
Every action brings different feelings, accompanied by different participants.
Tonight, we welcomed a special new friend—he traveled to New York from Philadelphia to join us.
Philadelphia is the birthplace of America's Declaration of Independence and Constitution, one of the starting points of this nation's democratic spirit; and tonight, this new friend from Philadelphia stood shoulder to shoulder with us amid the revelry crowds of Times Square in New York.
3. 50 Times, and We're Still Here
50 weeks, nearly a year's time.
We have experienced the heavy snow and cold winds of winter, felt the gentle warmth of spring, and now we welcome the heat and revelry of summer.
The revelry will disperse, the Finals will have a winner and a loser, and the World Cup will also come to an end. But the pursuit of freedom, the commitment to democracy, is a match with no final whistle.
The 50th time, recorded here.
Next Monday, the 51st time, we will still be here.