Twenty-five years later, Tiananmen Square no less taboo for China's censors

[webfact]

Twenty-five years later, Tiananmen Square no less taboo for China's censors
By Zoe Li, CNN

(CNN) -- Twenty-five years ago today, Chinese college students in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an began gathering to publicly mourn the death of a purged high-level official, Hu Yaobang.

A week later, thousands of students marched into Tiananmen Square for Hu's funeral.

The demonstrations escalated, culminating in the tragic military crackdown on the students on June 4, 1989 when Chinese troops opened fire on civilians and students. An official death toll has never been announced, but estimates range from several hundred to thousands.

In the lead-up to the 25th anniversary of the bloody incident this year, there are mixed signals from the Chinese authorities on their attitude towards the normally taboo subject.

Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/16/world/asia/tiananmen-square-censorship/index.html

-- CNN 2014-04-16

[boomerangutang]

Chinese officialdom are like toy soldiers standing on the lid of a pressure cooker that only partially seals. They need to allow some pressure out, so it doesn't blow up like a bomb. If the toy soldiers were made out of tin, their little legs would gradually melt - and then their torsos, heads, tiny swords and shields.

Edited April 17, 2014 by boomerangutang

[spidermike007]

The Chinese government is one of the most putrid, corrupt, heinous, stifling, oppressive and resistant to change or progress we have ever seen. Do not expect real change from them. Yes, they were smart enough to realize that their liberal economic policies would usher in a new age of prosperity, but the liberal agenda stops there. Watch them, as they are up to no good. Of course that applies to most governments, but the Chinese govt. in particular.

[alphaboy123]

Give me the Chinese government over the murderous filthy

yankee dictatorship any day.

For China to stay together, & eventually neutralize the

hegemony of the yanks, a strong & intelligent government

is required.

Long live China!

& by the way, Chinese people tell me that the Tiananmen

demonstrations did not aim at establishing anything like an

american-style government, but rather at curbing corruption

within the Communist Party.

You guys go right ahead & keep on trusting your biased &

deceitful western media.

[EyesWideOpen]

Give me the Chinese government over the murderous filthy

yankee dictatorship any day.

For China to stay together, & eventually neutralize the

hegemony of the yanks, a strong & intelligent government

is required.

Long live China!

& by the way, Chinese people tell me that the Tiananmen

demonstrations did not aim at establishing anything like an

american-style government, but rather at curbing corruption

within the Communist Party.

You guys go right ahead & keep on trusting your biased &

deceitful western media.

Hey alphaboy, hope you do not use Facebook, as that will be the first thing to go

when your beloved Chinese take over whatever country you are in.... :-) The " success"

of China economically has been based upon the massive exploitation of its own cheap

labor. To get a clearer picture, think about the anti suicide nets installed at Foxconn...

God help us all if China actually sort of takes over the world. Am not really worried, as it

will implode from domestic issues long before ever actually making a mark upon the world.

China has NEVER EVER played a major part on the world stage, and I see no change for the future. Ghengis Khan, and the Japanese went through China like a hot knife through butter,

so I think it best if the Chinese avoid war.... :-) Stick to making cheap shoddy products, and create more billionaires in a " Communist " country..Too funny for words....

Do not recall seeing suicide nets at American factories..... lol

Edited April 17, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[boomerangutang]

Give me the Chinese government over the murderous filthy yankee dictatorship any day. For China to stay together, & eventually neutralize the hegemony of the yanks, a strong & intelligent government is required.

Long live China! & by the way, Chinese people tell me that the Tiananmen demonstrations did not aim at establishing anything like an american-style government, but rather at curbing corruption within the Communist Party.

You guys go right ahead & keep on trusting your biased & deceitful western media.

Let's assume for a moment, that you're right about Tianamen, and it was aimed at curbing corruption. Why then did the government squash the revolt? Doesn't the government claim to want to curb corruption? Oh, sorry, of course they do, but only curb the corruption of select others, not themselves or their cronies.

Your 2nd sentence is almost correct, but you yourself suggest a 'strong & intelligent government is required' Perhaps PRC has a strong government, in terms of guns and uniformed enforcers, but they're certainly not intelligent. So that's why they will have a long row to hoe if they ever want to be taken seriously as a world player. Currently China has no world-class do-good organization. For all its money, it has no peace corps, no Red Cross, no HOPE ship, no MSF. China barely helps its own people in need, and certainly doesn't reach out to help others around the world, of different colors, religions, etc. That's one of the biggest differences between the US and China. The US actively tries to improve peoples' lives in far away countries, including thousands of do-good organization, engaging millions of volunteers, and billions of dollars. The US sometimes makes mistakes, but at least it's out there trying to make improvements. Europeans and Aus/NZ are similarly inclined.