Twenty-eight years after the June 4,1989, violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, the human rights situation in China continues to worsen as President Xi Jinping' regime tightens its political regimentation drive. At a time when the Chinese Communist Party prepares to holds its convention this fall — an event that takes place once every five years — The Xi government is tightening security measures against "socially disturbing" elements. It continues to ignore citizens' calls for the disclosure of facts about the Tiananmen incident, including the military's killing of many demonstrators.
Along with its aggressive maritime policy, China's suppression of human rights damages its international image. The Xi regime should try to stabilize Chinese society by promoting democratization instead of taking an iron-fist approach. Democratic reforms at home, hand in hand with a peaceful maritime policy, would help China be perceived by the international community as a rising power that can be trusted.
The Chinese government has justified the slaying of citizens in the Tiananmen incident by calling the protests a counter-revolutionary rebellion. An association of mothers of youths who were killed has repeatedly called on the government to disclose the truth about the incident, punish those responsible for the killings and pay compensation. The authorities continue to ignore these demands and keep the mothers under surveillance.