Twenty Years After Tiananmen Square

This year, on June 4th, will mark the 20th anniversary of one of the bloodiest days in modern history. On June 4, 1989, over 100,000 peaceful and unarmed demonstrators in Tiananmen Square calling for more freedom in China were fired upon by Chinese army troops, on orders from China’s supreme leader Deng Xiaoping. Estimates of the number killed vary; the Chinese government insists that only a few dozen died while those there insist that a few thousand had been cut down. NATO intelligence puts the number at around 7,000. The bloodpath is now known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

What was perhaps the most shocking was that this occurred just as communist regimes around the world, including the Soviet Union, under increased pressure from their citizens, were beginning to slowly dismantle. Some had already ousted their communist governments. China’s pro-democracy movement was perhaps inspired by the relatively bloodless revolution against communism elsewhere.

It all started with the April 15th death of pro-market and pro-democracy official, Hu Yaobang. A small number of civilians had gathered later that day around the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen Square. Gatherings of students in mourning also took place at many universities in and around Beijing, as well as gatherings in Shanghai and Xian. Soon, gatherings were taking place almost daily in many parts of the country, ranging in size from a few dozen to tens of thousands, more of them calling for democracy reform.

Martial law was finally declared in Beijing on May 20 but that failed to curb to the demonstrations. On that day, the military tried to enter Beijing but was blocked by throngs of protestors. After intense deliberations among top Communist officials, a deeply divided politburo authorized the use of force to end the increasing civil unrest.

On the night of June 3rd, the military attacked. Even protesters trying to flee were captured and beaten by troops. By early morning on the 4th, Tiananmen Square had been cleared. Even after the crackdown in Tiananmen protests continued in other large cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou but the government soon regained control.

Worldwide reaction varied. The United States and most Western European countries bitterly condemned China for its action while some Eastern European governments supported the Chinese leadership. Asian countries, wary of China’s growing economic might, remained somewhat tightlipped over their opinions. Japan was the only Asian country to fiercely criticize Beijing’s action.

Incredibly, since those events, China has become an economic powerhouse, its goods appearing on store shelves around the world. Many countries, including the United States, consider it a valued trading partner with its 1.6 billion citizens who are gaining more spending power every year. Beijing proudly hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and Shanghai is getting set to host the 2010 World Expo.

Although the Chinese government has curbed some restrictions in instituted numerous market reforms, including more private ownership, enabling its citizens to gain better standards of living, the government still maintains a tight ship were freedom of speech is concerned. In fact, immediately following the massacre, the government instituted tighter control on the media and the restrictions remain in place today.

What is really amazing is that, perhaps because of the greater economic prosperity and freedom that they now enjoy, most Chinese citizens are reluctantly to express any kind of opinion, even in private, concerning that fateful day. If you ask an ordinary Chinese person on the street in ultra-modern, cosmopolitan Shanghai or Shenzhen for his/her thoughts on the crackdown or any question pertaining to the country’s politics you’re likely to earn little more than the shrugging of the shoulders.