【ANN NEWS, DALLAS】 Long David Liu, the Republican candidate for California’s 49th State Assembly District and founder of the Liu Longzhu Law Firm, recently traveled with attorney Deng Hong to Dallas, Texas, to attend a Republican convention held from September 9 to 10.
The two said their donations, on-site purchases and related event expenses totaled nearly $20,000. They also brought four red signs expressing Asian American political positions into the venue, hoping to make the voices of Chinese American and Asian American communities on public policy and political issues more visible to the American public.
According to Liu, security at the convention was strict, and large signs were generally prohibited inside the venue. After being stopped at the entrance, the two repeatedly spoke with staff and officials, explaining that the signs were not commercial advertisements but were intended to express the political views of Asian American voters. They eventually received special permission to bring all four signs into the venue.
The four signs read “ASIAN AMERICANS FOR TRUMP”（Asian Americans support Trump）, “ASIAN FAMILY VALUES ARE REPUBLICAN VALUES”（Asian family values are consistent with Republican values）, “ASIAN AMERICANS: NO BIRTHRIGHT ABUSE”（Asian Americans oppose abuse of birthright citizenship）, and “ASIAN AMERICANS FOR MERIT – NOT RACE QUOTAS”（Asian Americans support merit, not racial quotas）.
Liu said the signs were designed on short notice and produced on an expedited basis after they arrived in Texas. Once inside the venue, the two displayed the signs in the California delegation area, hoping to use the convention and media coverage to increase the visibility of Asian American political positions.
The two said donations, purchases and other expenses related to attending the event totaled nearly $20,000, including the cost of memorabilia purchased at the venue. Liu said Chinese Americans have long contributed to education, business and professional fields, but still need greater visibility in political participation and public affairs.
“We are not just passing through this land, but are fellow builders of it.” Liu said Chinese Americans should not only work, do business, pay taxes and educate the next generation, but should also actively participate in community meetings, school affairs, local elections and public policy discussions at all levels, expressing their views through lawful means.
Convention Concludes as 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Approaches
The conclusion of the Dallas trip coincided with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Liu said that for new immigrants, integrating into American society means not only living and building a future here, but also understanding the major historical events the country has experienced, as well as social values such as the rule of law, religious freedom and mutual support within communities.
Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, people of different ethnic backgrounds, including Asian Americans, were affected by the events. Liu said commemorating 9/11 is not only about remembering the tragedy, but also about remembering how ordinary people helped one another during a crisis and the sacrifices made by firefighters, police officers and rescue workers.
Liu said that new immigrants seeking to establish roots should first obey the law and take responsibility for their communities, while also recognizing that abiding by the law does not mean remaining silent. Chinese Americans can express their views through voting, public hearings, school boards and other public forums.
Master Hsing Yun’s Centennial Highlights Service to Society
2026 also marks the centennial of the birth of Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan. Liu is Master Hsing Yun’s nephew and said he has long been influenced by the philosophy of Humanistic Buddhism, hoping to combine compassion and service to society with civic participation. In recent years, he has also continued to participate in exchanges between the Buddhist community and mainstream American society.
Liu said that in his understanding of Humanistic Buddhism, faith does not exist only within temples but should also be reflected in concrete actions to serve communities and help others. Whether participating in local public affairs or encouraging Asian Americans to make their voices heard, he said, these efforts are part of serving society.
From Rosemead Community Issues to National Political Events
Before traveling to Dallas, Liu and Deng had also recently participated in several community and public affairs issues in the San Gabriel Valley, including organizing residents to express their views regarding the Maryvale transitional housing project in Rosemead.
At related City Council meetings and community events, many residents held signs expressing concerns about the project’s location, scale and impact on the community. Liu and Deng said that following sustained participation by residents, some conditions related to the project were further restricted and discussed.
The two have also focused on housing and homeless placement policies in Arcadia and other cities with large Chinese American populations, calling on Chinese American residents to become more involved in local government decision-making.
Liu said that from local city councils to the state legislature and national political events, the basic principle behind Chinese American participation in public affairs is the same: “If the community does not express its views, it is difficult for policymakers to know what we think.”
Encouraging Religious and Asian American Communities to Participate in Public Affairs
In recent years, Liu has also participated in a number of religious and public affairs exchanges. According to information provided by his team, he has taken part in visits by Buddhist leaders to Washington, where they exchanged views with U.S. political figures and people involved in religious affairs on issues including religious freedom, Asian American community participation and social services.
Liu said he hopes these exchanges will help mainstream American society gain a deeper understanding of Asian religious culture and the longstanding contributions Chinese Americans have made in philanthropy, education, business and community development.
He has also previously promoted an online petition concerning historical anti-Chinese policies and Chinese American rights, hoping to encourage further public discussion of the experiences and contributions of Chinese Americans throughout U.S. history.
Calling on Chinese Americans to Participate at the Ballot Box and in Public Affairs
As the Republican candidate for California’s 49th State Assembly District, Liu said the main message he hoped to convey through his Dallas trip was to encourage more Chinese Americans to expand their involvement beyond economic, educational and professional fields and into public affairs.
He said the Chinese American community has already established deep roots in American society, and that the next step is to increase voter turnout, participate in local government affairs and encourage more Chinese Americans to enter public service and politics.
Liu called on Chinese American voters in the 49th District and across Southern California to pay attention to this November’s election and actively register to vote. He said that new immigrants who choose to live, work and raise the next generation in the United States should not view themselves as bystanders in society, but should establish deeper roots in American society by obeying the law, serving their communities and participating in elections.
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