'Thousands of young people crushed by troops and tanks,' Lai writes on Facebook; urges Beijing to acknowledge truth, heal wounds and begin dialogue

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te [Reuters]
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te [Reuters]

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te marked the 37th anniversary of China's Tiananmen Square crackdown Thursday by urging Beijing to confront the historical truth of the event and reaffirming the values of democracy and human rights.

Writing on Facebook, Lai said that 37 years ago Thursday, "thousands of young people full of ideals and aspirations were mercilessly shot and crushed by troops and tanks on the streets of Beijing, in Tiananmen Square, and across China."

"What was trampled that day was not only the lives and youth of those who took part in the pro-democracy movement," he said, "but the aspirations and actions of an entire generation of Chinese people who sought freedom and democracy."

He said a truly great nation does not fixate on military power but embraces diverse voices, guarantees its people the right to pursue their dreams and has the courage to confront the wounds of history.

"I sincerely hope that China will face the June 4 incident squarely, acknowledge the truth, heal the wounds, and begin reconciliation and dialogue," Lai said.

He added that the strength of a democratic nation does not rest on grand narratives or a single top-down voice, and that a healthy government and society must support the next generation in building better lives — not suppress their dreams and opinions through violence, surveillance and control.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the government body responsible for cross-strait policy, also issued a statement Wednesday urging Beijing to face the historical truth of the Tiananmen crackdown.

The council criticized China for commemorating the May Fourth Movement of 1919 on a grand scale while collectively suppressing all memory of the 1989 crackdown. "This double standard does nothing to resolve the deep-rooted social problems and contradictions in China today, and only widens the distance from universal values," it said.

The council noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's first direct presidential election. Three decades of peaceful democratic practice and transfers of power, it said, have proven that a free and democratic system of governance and way of life can take deep root and flourish in a Chinese society. Democracy faces no problem of being "unsuited to local conditions" — it is the best choice for a nation's long-term stability and social prosperity.

"We respectfully call on the Beijing authorities to respect the Taiwanese people's commitment to and choice of democratic institutions, and to cease coercive measures," the council added.

The Tiananmen Square incident refers to the bloody suppression by Chinese troops of protests led by students and intellectuals who had taken to the streets for months demanding an end to corruption and democratic reform. June 4 became the date associated with the crackdown, marking the day authorities completed their suppression of the demonstrators.

China treats the event as taboo. Estimates of the death toll range from at least several hundred to several thousand.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com