Taiwan Urges China to Confront Tiananmen Legacy on Anniversary

Email:online@newsofbahrain.com

Taipei: Taiwan has called on China to acknowledge the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown and confront its legacy, as the anniversary of the deadly military action against pro-democracy protesters was marked on Thursday.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te urged Beijing to face the truth about the events of June 4, 1989, saying recognition of the incident would help heal old wounds and promote reconciliation. He also warned against authoritarianism and the use of force or surveillance to silence dissent.

The Tiananmen Square crackdown remains one of the most sensitive topics in China. Public discussion of the event is heavily restricted, and the anniversary is not officially commemorated on the mainland.

Chinese authorities have long defended their handling of the protests, which ended when troops moved into central Beijing to disperse demonstrators after weeks of student-led protests. China has never released a full death toll, though rights groups and witnesses have estimated that hundreds, and possibly thousands, were killed.

Commemorations of the anniversary now largely take place outside mainland China, including in Taiwan. In Hong Kong, once home to large annual candlelight vigils, public remembrance events have largely disappeared since the introduction of a national security law in 2020.

Relations between China and Taiwan remain strained, with Beijing rejecting calls for dialogue from President Lai and continuing to regard the self-ruled island as part of its territory.

Pic Credit: AFP