By the beginning of June, the student-led protest had been going on almost seven weeks. In the early hours of June 4, 1989, the Chinese army confronted the protestors in Tiananmen Square and the surrounding area, hoping to control the mounting unrest. Untold numbers died. Every year, thousands of people in Hong Kong attend a candlelight vigil commemorating what happened that day in Tiananmen Square.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses various means to prevent people from discovering, discussing, or remembering what it calls the Tiananmen Square crackdown or the June Fourth Incident. For example:

• It takes prominent political activists and mothers of victims on forced vacations. 
• It blocks websites, internet searches, and messages that include any terms it considers suspicious. 
• Social media platforms must censor their content according to government regulations. They must prohibit online rumors and any information that might: 
  • damage national honor,
  • disturb the economic or social order, or
  • aim to overthrow the socialist system.

Failure to follow regulations can lead to fines or the loss of operating licenses. Consequently, Hong Kong is the only Chinese soil where public acknowledgment of the event occurs. (It’s allowed in Hong Kong because of Deng Xiaoping’s “one country, two systems” principle.)

A Little History

When Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949, he promised economic equality. He intended to achieve this by eliminating private property. He was the mastermind behind the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Both campaigns led to the persecution and death of millions.

After Mao’s death in 1976, Deng Xiaoping assumed leadership. He began a series of reforms designed to modernize China and improve people’s lives. But the reforms helped government insiders more than average citizens. By the late 80s, food prices were rising and corruption was rampant. Subsequently, disappointment and despair intensified.

Spring 1989: Students Demand Change

In 1987, a battle for control of the CCP arose between hardliners and reformers. Hardliners forced popular reformer Hu Yaobang to resign. After his death in April 1989, 100,000 people marched to Tiananmen Square, protesting the failure of reforms to improve their lives. Farmers, workers, journalists, and intellectuals joined the peaceful protest. For more than a month, university students from all over China camped on the Square. Protestors complained about government corruption and demanded democratic reform.

Struggles for Control on the Square and in the Government

The students’ highest priority was improving their beloved country, but consensus on how to do it was elusive. They struggled with organization, leadership, and a unified plan of action. Finally, on May 15, three thousand students who favored using more radical measures began a hunger strike. They hoped to force the CCP to dialogue. International journalists were in Beijing for the Sino-Soviet Summit, but the biggest news was the protest on Tiananmen Square. Media outlets broadcast pictures of the suffering students around the world. Over one million people from every level of society supported the non-violent protests in Beijing as the pro-democracy movement spread across China. 

In other words, the country was in crisis. The struggle on the Square and in the country mirrored the struggle within the CCP. Both radical and moderate views existed in all groups. Reformers in the CCP wanted to meet the students’ demands for dialogue. But hardliners suspected a Western conspiracy. Recognizing a threat to their authoritarian rule, they accused the students of being counter-revolutionaries who were trying to overthrow the government. On May 19, the hardliners won; Deng Xiaoping declared martial law and ordered the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to clear the Square. Hardliners intended to keep control, even if it meant spilling the blood of students.

Facing the Tanks

The protestors refused to leave the Square. Therefore, on June 3, the government announced its decision to launch a full military assault. So, in the early hours of June 4, the tanks rolled, as the PLA fired on those who challenged them. The death toll is uncertain since the Chinese government refuses to reveal how many died. Estimates range from several hundred to several thousand.

Determined to Control History

The Communist Party’s treatment of the crackdown and its anniversary shows its commitment to control what’s remembered about Tiananmen Square. For instance, it continues to deny responsibility for the massacre, blaming the protestors instead. Also, it refuses to confirm the number of deaths and censors any mention of the incident, stifling debate to maintain stability and protect its power. Chinese history books include no mention of the pro-democracy movement. Thus, most young Chinese have never heard of the Tiananmen Square protests. China rejects the democratic reforms demanded by the protestors, trying instead to appease her people with prosperity and social stability. 

The Struggle Continues

Historically, one of China’s greatest fears has been a grassroots rebellion against the government. Therefore, the goal to control extends beyond political actions to beliefs and values. In my next blog, we’ll look at the increasing regulations Beijing is putting on religion.