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2w ago

U.S. and Taiwan Leaders Pledge to ‘Never Forget’ Tiananmen as Beijing Brands Tribute an ‘Attack’

A 36-hour hunger strike by jailed activist Chow Hang-tung underscored demands for a transparent reckoning under strict security measures

Security personnel stand on duty near the Tiananmen Gate which is under renovation on the anniversary of China's bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A boom lift partially blocks the view of a screen depicting a lit candle at the Canadian Embassy on the anniversary of China's bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Beijing demonstrator blocks the path of a tank convoy along the Avenue of Eternal Peace near Tiananmen Square. For weeks, people have been protesting for freedom of speech and of press from the Chinese government.

Overview

  • The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, commemorated the victims of the 1989 crackdown and accused the Chinese Communist Party of erasing historical facts
  • Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te praised the protesters’ courage and warned that authoritarian silence cannot erase the ideals of human rights
  • Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian condemned Rubio’s statement as a malicious distortion of history and lodged a formal protest
  • In Hong Kong, Chow Hang-tung began a 36-hour hunger strike to individually memorialize the crackdown after public vigils were outlawed under national security laws
  • Relatives known as the Tiananmen Mothers renewed calls for an independent investigation despite continued suppression of public remembrance across China