21st anniversary of Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Encyclopedia
The 21st anniversary Tiananmen square incident march began as a small march to commemorate the 4 June Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
in Hong Kong. Hong Kong and Macau are the only places on Chinese soil where the 1989 crushing of China's pro-democracy movement can be commemorated, and the annual event to commemorate has been taking place in Hong Kong since 1990.
In 2010, the candlelight vigil attracted more than 150,000 participants - the controversies surrounding Hong Kong authorities' treatment of the democracy goddess statues
, including a controversial ban by the Chinese University of Hong Kong
, were widely cited as having had a significant effect on the turnout.
model of governance for Hong Kong, the annual 4 June observance which has become a tradition since 1989 has continued after the transfer of sovereignty from Britain to China. It is the only place on Chinese soil where the event is openly commemorated in any way and on any scale.
In Hong Kong, the anniversary was commemorated in the backdrop of the Hong Kong by-election, 2010
, the impending LegCo vote on the reform proposals made as a result of Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012, and the leak onto the internet of The Critical Moment – Li Peng Diaries, supposedly an insider's account of the top echelons of Chinese politics leading up to the fateful crackdown in 1989, written by the former Chinese Premier.
. Attempts to stage public events and protests commemorating the 21st anniversary in Beijing's Tiananmen Square have been largely thwarted by Chinese authorities, activists said. A planned commemoration on the campus of Beijing University failed owing to the presence of large numbers of state security police; "scuffles between police and bystanders" were reported outside the Great Hall of the People
and numerous government departments, including the ruling party's Central Propaganda Department. Radio Free Asia reported that dissidents have been warned, put under house arrest, or incarcerated in the run-up to the anniversary.
Sina.com
microblog prevented any online vigils by removing icons
of a candle and cake so users cannot create tweets with emoticons holding vigils. However, under pretext of International Children's Day, Southern Metropolis Daily put up on 1 June a cartoon of a child drawing image hugely resembling the iconic Tank Man
photograph by Jeff Widener
on a blackboard which was later taken down, but not before it had circulated on the Internet.
by about 800 people started from Victoria Park
. Some protesters continued to the Times Square shopping mall
. Thirteen activists remained to protect the two 'Goddess of Democracy'. A scuffle broke out, and the activists were arrested with the statues taken away by police. Of the two statues, one was 6.4-metre bronze, the other 2.2 metre made in white plastic material.
On 2 June Chen Weiming
, creator of the statues arrived in Hong Kong but was immediately deported. Lawmaker James To
questioned why he was deported for political reasons. The next day Pro-democrat Lee Cheuk-yan said "If the government will not release the statues immediately, what difference does its action have from the crushing of the first statue in Tiananmen Square by the Chinese army's tanks?" He threatened to gather people to surround the North Point
police station. Lee further said HK has reduced to a place with no room even for a goddess statue. The statues were freed after the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China spend two hours negotiating with the police.
Eric Lai Yan-ho (黎恩灝), president of the students' union at Chinese University, knowing that Pillar of Shame
sculpture by Jens Galschiot had gone to the University of Hong Kong campus, wanted the two statues of democracy to go to the Sha Tin campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
also became embroiled in controversy when they denied a request by students to house the democracy goddess statue permanently on its campus. They said it should not align itself with the actions or activities which project a political position that compromises political neutrality. Students complained that outgoing vice chancellor Lawrence Lau, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
, was 'too establishment'. Student leader Eric Lai told a crowd of 2,000 people that the university officials should apologise for their opposition of the art display. Former Legco president Rita Fan
admit there are some people in HK who just cannot forgive the Tiananmen square incident. Later the statues were allowed on campus. The Alliance organised a transport truck and the delivery was escorted by police forces. The students themselves then raised it on campus. Vice Chancellor designate, Joseph Sung (沈祖堯), agreed to share responsibility for the committee's decision. He said the school was immature in handling the situation and underestimated the political situation. He said the incident was the biggest political controversy the university faced in 20+ years.
tabled a motion calling for that the June 4 incident not be forgotten and the 1989 pro-democracy movement be vindicated. The motion was backed by the 23 pan-democrats and independent Dr. Leung Ka-lau. But as in previous years, the private motion was defeated because it failed to secure a majority in the functional constituencies, despite their being only 15 votes against and 10 abstentions—the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions
voted against the motion; the Liberals and Economic Synergy abstained.
. The police said 113,000 people showed up. This was a larger than expected amount as many people were angry about the confiscation of the statues. A recorded message was played by Liu Xia, wife of Liu Xiaobo
who drafted Charter 08
and was imprisoned by the PRC for 11 years.
A gathering was also held at St. Dominic's church in Macau attended by about 700 people.
The Financial Times reported an unprecedented attack of the Chinese government by loyalist Tsang Yok-sing
, the founder of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong
in an interview before the vigil. Tsang was principal of the Pui Kiu Middle School
at the time – he relived the shock, disbelief and emotion when the tanks rolled in and the Tiananmen democratic movement was crushed; staff and students were all shocked to learn of the government's brutality.
polled 336 people attending the candlelight vigil; 207 of them thought freedom to commemorate the June 4 incident was at risk. Commentator Frank Ching said that there was an erosion of trust the widely publicised police seizure in Times Square and the controversy at the Chinese University contributed. He said it was important for government and university authorities to work hard to maintain the trust of its people. Former legislator Albert Cheng
said the main reason for the unexpectedly high turnout was more general public dissatisfaction with the government without a proper mandate, although the actions of the HK Police and Chinese University only added fuel to the fire.
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, also known as the June Fourth Incident in Chinese , were a series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing in the People's Republic of China beginning on 15 April 1989...
in Hong Kong. Hong Kong and Macau are the only places on Chinese soil where the 1989 crushing of China's pro-democracy movement can be commemorated, and the annual event to commemorate has been taking place in Hong Kong since 1990.
In 2010, the candlelight vigil attracted more than 150,000 participants - the controversies surrounding Hong Kong authorities' treatment of the democracy goddess statues
Goddess of Democracy (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong's Goddess of Democracy was inspired by the original 10-metre tall Goddess of Democracy erected by the Chinese pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square during May–June 1989....
, including a controversial ban by the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
, were widely cited as having had a significant effect on the turnout.
Background
As the People's Republic of China has publicly embraced the one country, two systemsOne country, two systems
"One country, two systems" is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping, then Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China , for the reunification of China during the early 1980s...
model of governance for Hong Kong, the annual 4 June observance which has become a tradition since 1989 has continued after the transfer of sovereignty from Britain to China. It is the only place on Chinese soil where the event is openly commemorated in any way and on any scale.
In Hong Kong, the anniversary was commemorated in the backdrop of the Hong Kong by-election, 2010
Hong Kong by-election, 2010
The 2010 Hong Kong by-election is an election held on 16 May 2010 in Hong Kong, triggered by the resignation of five pan-democrat Legislative Councillors in January of the same year....
, the impending LegCo vote on the reform proposals made as a result of Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012, and the leak onto the internet of The Critical Moment – Li Peng Diaries, supposedly an insider's account of the top echelons of Chinese politics leading up to the fateful crackdown in 1989, written by the former Chinese Premier.
Inside mainland China
No discussion about or mention of the 1989 protests is tolerated in mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Attempts to stage public events and protests commemorating the 21st anniversary in Beijing's Tiananmen Square have been largely thwarted by Chinese authorities, activists said. A planned commemoration on the campus of Beijing University failed owing to the presence of large numbers of state security police; "scuffles between police and bystanders" were reported outside the Great Hall of the People
Great Hall of the People
The Great Hall of the People is located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square, Beijing, People's Republic of China, and is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China. It functions as the People's Republic of China's...
and numerous government departments, including the ruling party's Central Propaganda Department. Radio Free Asia reported that dissidents have been warned, put under house arrest, or incarcerated in the run-up to the anniversary.
Sina.com
Sina.com
SINA is an online media company for China and Chinese communities around the world. SINA operates four major business lines: Sina Weibo, SINA Mobile, SINA Online, and SINA.net. SINA has over 100 million registered users worldwide...
microblog prevented any online vigils by removing icons
Computer icon
A computer icon is a pictogram displayed on a computer screen and used to navigate a computer system or mobile device. The icon itself is a small picture or symbol serving as a quick, intuitive representation of a software tool, function or a data file accessible on the system. It functions as an...
of a candle and cake so users cannot create tweets with emoticons holding vigils. However, under pretext of International Children's Day, Southern Metropolis Daily put up on 1 June a cartoon of a child drawing image hugely resembling the iconic Tank Man
Tank Man
Tank Man, or the Unknown Rebel, is the nickname of an anonymous man who stood in front of a column of Chinese Type 59 tanks the morning after the Chinese military forcibly removed protestors from in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989. The man achieved widespread international...
photograph by Jeff Widener
Jeff Widener
Jeff Widener is an American photographer, best known for his image of the Tank Man confronting a column of tanks in Tiananmen Square during the 1989 Beijing riots which made him a nominated finalist for the 1990 Pulitzer...
on a blackboard which was later taken down, but not before it had circulated on the Internet.
Japan
Elsewhere, a demonstration marking the 21st anniversary took place outside the Chinese embassy in Tokyo. As Japanese police moved a crash barrier to allow a car to enter the embassy compound, exiled student leader of the 1989 movement, Wu'er Kaixi, tried to evade the police and enter the grounds of the embassy. He said his aim was to turn himself in to the Chinese government. Wuer said he was wrestled to the ground by "seven or eight" Japanese police officers about 5 metres from the embassy gates. Upon his arrest, Wuer said that he was prepared to hand himself over to the Chinese authorities, so that he could go home to China - he had not seen his parents in 21 years. He was released two days later by Japanese police.Hong Kong march and statue incidents
On 30 May 2010 a pro-democracy camp march to the Central Government OfficesCentral Government Offices
The Central Government Offices houses the most major offices of the Hong Kong Government. Located in Central in Hong Kong, it occupies the lower level of Government Hill.- History :...
by about 800 people started from Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations...
. Some protesters continued to the Times Square shopping mall
Times Square (Hong Kong)
Times Square is a major shopping centre and office tower complex in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.The complex, owned by Wharf Properties Limited, part of The Wharf Limited group, was opened in April 1994.-History:...
. Thirteen activists remained to protect the two 'Goddess of Democracy'. A scuffle broke out, and the activists were arrested with the statues taken away by police. Of the two statues, one was 6.4-metre bronze, the other 2.2 metre made in white plastic material.
On 2 June Chen Weiming
Chen Weiming
This is a Chinese name; the family name is ChenChen Weiming was a scholar, taijiquan teacher, and author. He was also known by his name Chen Zengze 陳曾則, Weiming being his hao, a pen-name....
, creator of the statues arrived in Hong Kong but was immediately deported. Lawmaker James To
James To
James To Kun-sun is a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong representing the Kowloon West constituency. James To was also a member of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council until 2007.-Views, policy positions and Legco voting:...
questioned why he was deported for political reasons. The next day Pro-democrat Lee Cheuk-yan said "If the government will not release the statues immediately, what difference does its action have from the crushing of the first statue in Tiananmen Square by the Chinese army's tanks?" He threatened to gather people to surround the North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
police station. Lee further said HK has reduced to a place with no room even for a goddess statue. The statues were freed after the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China spend two hours negotiating with the police.
Eric Lai Yan-ho (黎恩灝), president of the students' union at Chinese University, knowing that Pillar of Shame
Pillar of Shame
Pillar of Shame is a series of sculptures by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt. Each sculpture is an 8-metre tall bronze, copper or concrete statue — four have been erected, in Rome, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Brazil. A fifth one in Berlin was planned.-Symbolism:...
sculpture by Jens Galschiot had gone to the University of Hong Kong campus, wanted the two statues of democracy to go to the Sha Tin campus of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
also became embroiled in controversy when they denied a request by students to house the democracy goddess statue permanently on its campus. They said it should not align itself with the actions or activities which project a political position that compromises political neutrality. Students complained that outgoing vice chancellor Lawrence Lau, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [], shortened as 人民政协, Rénmín Zhèngxié, i.e. "People's PCC"; or just 政协, Zhèngxié, i.e. "The PCC"), abbreviated CPPCC, is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China...
, was 'too establishment'. Student leader Eric Lai told a crowd of 2,000 people that the university officials should apologise for their opposition of the art display. Former Legco president Rita Fan
Rita Fan
Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai GBM GBS CBE JP was the President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong after the transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom in 1997. She was the first woman to hold that position....
admit there are some people in HK who just cannot forgive the Tiananmen square incident. Later the statues were allowed on campus. The Alliance organised a transport truck and the delivery was escorted by police forces. The students themselves then raised it on campus. Vice Chancellor designate, Joseph Sung (沈祖堯), agreed to share responsibility for the committee's decision. He said the school was immature in handling the situation and underestimated the political situation. He said the incident was the biggest political controversy the university faced in 20+ years.
LegCo motion
Pan-democrats condemned the confiscation as suppression of free speech during a LegCo debate. As in previous years, Democratic Party chairman Albert HoAlbert Ho
Albert Ho Chun-yan . He is currently secretary general of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China and chairman of the Democratic Party. He is a solicitor and a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong....
tabled a motion calling for that the June 4 incident not be forgotten and the 1989 pro-democracy movement be vindicated. The motion was backed by the 23 pan-democrats and independent Dr. Leung Ka-lau. But as in previous years, the private motion was defeated because it failed to secure a majority in the functional constituencies, despite their being only 15 votes against and 10 abstentions—the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions is a pro-Beijing labour and political group in Hong Kong. It is the largest labour group in Hong Kong with over 341,000 members in 181 affiliates and 62 associated trade unions.-Policies:...
voted against the motion; the Liberals and Economic Synergy abstained.
Candlelight vigils
According to event organisers, about 150,000 people attended a candlelight vigil at Victoria park on 4 June matching the previous year's 20th anniversary20th anniversary Tiananmen square incident march
The 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 was a series of rallies that took place in late May to early June 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 4 June Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, during which the Chinese government sent troops to suppress pro-democracy movement...
. The police said 113,000 people showed up. This was a larger than expected amount as many people were angry about the confiscation of the statues. A recorded message was played by Liu Xia, wife of Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese literary critic, writer, professor, and human rights activist who called for political reforms and the end of communist single-party rule in China...
who drafted Charter 08
Charter 08
Charter 08 is a manifesto initially signed by over 350 Chinese intellectuals and human rights activists. It was published on 10 December 2008, the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopting name and style from the anti-Soviet Charter 77 issued by dissidents in...
and was imprisoned by the PRC for 11 years.
A gathering was also held at St. Dominic's church in Macau attended by about 700 people.
The Financial Times reported an unprecedented attack of the Chinese government by loyalist Tsang Yok-sing
Tsang Yok-sing
Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, GBS JP was the founding Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong , the largest pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong....
, the founder of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong , formerly known as Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, is the largest pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong...
in an interview before the vigil. Tsang was principal of the Pui Kiu Middle School
Pui Kiu Middle School
Pui Kiu Middle School ' is a leftist/communist secondary school in Hong Kong. Located in the Eastern District area of North Point, it has attracted controversy.-History:...
at the time – he relived the shock, disbelief and emotion when the tanks rolled in and the Tiananmen democratic movement was crushed; staff and students were all shocked to learn of the government's brutality.
Demographic and motivations
Public anger over the seizures, and fears of political repression, were widely cited as directly inciting a record 150,000 participants (or 113,000 according to the police) to attend the 6-4 vigil. Lee Cheuk-yan, vice-chairman of the Alliance, said "...the basic number who insist on attending the vigil every year has increased rapidly, and 60 to 70 per cent of participants are now young people aged below 30," who inform themselves by other than traditional means. Ming PaoMing Pao
Ming Pao is a Chinese language newspaper published by Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America, each provides independent reporting on local news and collect local advertisements. Currently, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming...
polled 336 people attending the candlelight vigil; 207 of them thought freedom to commemorate the June 4 incident was at risk. Commentator Frank Ching said that there was an erosion of trust the widely publicised police seizure in Times Square and the controversy at the Chinese University contributed. He said it was important for government and university authorities to work hard to maintain the trust of its people. Former legislator Albert Cheng
Albert Cheng
Albert Cheng Jing-han GBS , widely known as "Tai-pan" is a Hong Kong businessman and politician. He is the chairman of Wave Media Limited which is currently preparing to open and operate a new radio station. He was also the host of Now TV's talk show, Sunday Taipan, on the Now Hong Kong Channel...
said the main reason for the unexpectedly high turnout was more general public dissatisfaction with the government without a proper mandate, although the actions of the HK Police and Chinese University only added fuel to the fire.
See also
- 22nd anniversary (in 2011) of Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
- Memorials for the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989Memorials for the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989In the days following the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, many memorials and vigils were held around the world.-Hong Kong:Vindicate 4 June and Relay the Torch is an annual activity mourning the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 organised by Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic...
- 20th anniversary Tiananmen square incident march20th anniversary Tiananmen square incident marchThe 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 was a series of rallies that took place in late May to early June 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 4 June Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, during which the Chinese government sent troops to suppress pro-democracy movement...
- 2010 March for universal suffrage2010 March for universal suffrageThe 2010 March for universal suffrage was a march held in Hong Kong on May 2, 2010. The event occurred on the second day of the Shanghai 2010 expo. It came a day after the neighboring 2010 Macau labour protest.-Protest:...