This is a photo of the army before they opened fire (this photo was not released by mainland China, but provided by the late Taiwanese celebrity Li Ao). The soldiers received orders not to use force against the students. However, these students tied the soldiers to a vehicle and burned them alive; many soldiers reportedly suffered the same fate. I believe those students at that time could no longer be considered students, but rather a group of rioters. It wasn’t until later, when the Chinese government received information that they were preparing to announce the establishment of a government the following day, that they began their actions. (The organizers of this student riot hid in a hotel, indulging in feasting and drinking throughout. Afterwards, they fled to Taiwan, leaving the students to die there; in today’s terms, they were a group of “refined egoists.”)
Deng Xiaoping once commented that this incident was “an inevitable event after China’s reform and opening up.” I believe this is a necessary growing pain in the process of a country moving from isolation to openness. As for why China is downplaying this event, it’s because the narrative still rests in the hands of many Western media outlets. In the eyes of the Chinese, responding directly to this event would fall right into the trap set by Western media. I believe that the top leaders of every country are actually aware of the truth of this matter.
I believe we should view this matter calmly and objectively. If we subjectively intervene without understanding the truth, we risk becoming a political tool for others.
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