You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. On the 36th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre 06/03/2025 05:12 PM EDT Marco Rubio, Secretary of State HomeOn the 36th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre hide On the 36th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre Press Statement June 3, 2025 In the spring of 1989, tens of thousands of students gathered in Beijing's largest public square to mourn the passing of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader who tried to steer China toward a more open and democratic system. Their actions inspired a national movement. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people in the capital and throughout China took to the streets for weeks to exercise their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly by advocating for democracy, human rights, and an end to rampant corruption. The CCP responded with a brutal crackdown, sending the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to open fire in an attempt to extinguish the pro-democracy sentiments of unarmed civilians gathered on Beijing's streets and in Tiananmen Square. The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget. 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. Their courage in the face of certain danger reminds us that the principles of freedom, democracy, and self-rule are not just American principles. They are human principles the CCP cannot erase. Tags Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs China Democracy and Good Governance Fundamental Freedoms Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.  Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to jjosephanews.BusinessPoint@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520