China condemns Rubio's Tiananmen remarks as Taiwan and US mark 37th anniversary of 1989 crackdown
Beijing accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of distorting history and interfering in its internal affairs after he said censorship could not erase the memory of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Diplomatic clash on the anniversary
China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning sharply criticised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Rubio had stated on Wednesday that "no amount of censorship can erase the past" and that those who sacrificed for free expression and peaceful assembly would be "vindicated someday."
The erroneous remarks made by the US side distort historical facts, defame China's political system and development path, and constitute interference in the country's internal affairs.
Mao added that China was "strongly dissatisfied" with Rubio's statement. The exchange follows a pattern from a year ago, when Beijing similarly criticised Rubio for his Tiananmen comments.
Taiwan's president calls for dialogue
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te also marked the anniversary, pressing Beijing to confront its past. In a Facebook post, Lai said he sincerely hoped China could "face up to the June 4 incident of 37 years ago, acknowledge the truth, soothe the pain, and open the door to reconciliation and dialogue."
A healthy government and society should strive to support better lives for the next generation rather than use violence, surveillance, and other means to strangle their dreams and erase their opinions.
Lai warned against "blindly believing" in militarism. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and calls Lai a "separatist."
The events of June 4, 1989
Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square before dawn on June 4, 1989, crushing weeks of student-led pro-democracy demonstrations. The military assault killed hundreds, and some estimates put the toll in the thousands. China has never provided a full death count, blaming the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party.
The anniversary is not officially marked in mainland China, and public discussion of the event remains taboo. Many young people in the country are unaware it happened. Public commemorations now take place in overseas cities, including Taipei, where senior Taiwanese government leaders often use the date to criticise Beijing.
Censorship and memory
In Hong Kong, public vigils for the Tiananmen victims were long permitted, but they have been banned since the passage of the national security law in 2020. Worldwide memorial events were planned for Thursday, including in Germany.
Rubio's statement aligned with past practice of the US top diplomat marking the anniversary. However, Spiegel noted that US President Donald Trump has recently emphasised his close relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whom he met in Beijing last month.
Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday.
China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rubio's latest statement.
