China has slammed US secretary of state Marco Rubio for his remarks marking the 35th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, calling them a “malicious distortion of historical facts” and a “serious interference” in its internal affairs.In a statement issued on Tuesday, Rubio said, “Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989.” He added that despite Beijing’s ongoing censorship efforts, “the world will never forget” what happened.Reacting strongly to Rubio’s comments, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China had “lodged a solemn protest” with the US. “The erroneous statements by the US side maliciously distort historical facts, deliberately attack China’s political system and developmental path, and seriously interfere in China’s internal affairs,” Lin said, as quoted by news agency AFP.The 1989 crackdown saw Chinese troops and tanks clear weeks-long student-led protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, which had called for greater political freedoms. The exact death toll remains unknown, but estimates range from several hundred to over a thousand. China continues to suppress any public mention of the incident, with censorship in full effect every year around the anniversary.Security in Beijing was tight on Wednesday, with police deployment around Wan’an Cemetery, where victims are believed to be buried and at several intersections near Tiananmen Square.Hong Kong, once the only Chinese-ruled territory where large-scale public vigils were held to commemorate June 4, has also clamped down on remembrance activities since the imposition of a sweeping national security law in 2020. Dozens of police were seen patrolling the district around Victoria Park, where the iconic candlelight vigil once drew tens of thousands.Jailed Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung began a 36-hour hunger strike on Wednesday in protest. In a social media post, she reaffirmed her commitment to remembering the victims, calling the national security officers the “real criminals” and urging authorities to apologise for her “wrongful” imprisonment. She invoked the enduring pain of the Tiananmen Mothers, who have waited 36 years without an official apology. “The lights in Victoria Park may have been blown out by the gales,” she said, “but the sparks of justice will glow in the hearts of every conscientious person.”Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te also echoed Rubio’s sentiments, using the anniversary to draw a contrast between democracy and authoritarianism. “Authoritarian governments often choose to remain silent and forget about history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who have contributed to the ideals of human rights,” Lai wrote on Facebook.According to news agency AP, public discussion on Tiananmen remains taboo in mainland China, where authorities describe the 1989 protests as “political turmoil.” Despite international appeals, including one from the Tiananmen Mothers group signed by 108 members demanding an investigation and apology, the Chinese government has never officially acknowledged wrongdoing.Outside mainland China, vigils continued. A candlelight commemoration took place at Taipei’s Liberty Square. “As a college student, I’m of the age of many organisers and participants — people who lost their lives in Tiananmen,” 20-year-old American student Lara Waldron was quoted as saying by AFP.In Beijing, however, the ruling Communist Party ensured the 36th anniversary passed with little visible trace, as it has for decades.
