On the afternoon of June 4th, a group of Chinese dissidents, including survivors of the “June Fourth” Tiananmen Square massacre, gathered at the Rayburn House Office Building in the United States Capitol to commemorate the event.
Experts, scholars, and human rights activists in attendance expressed that the events of “June Fourth” exposed the brutal nature of the Chinese Communist Party. They emphasized that the lies perpetuated by the CCP about the “June Fourth” crackdown can only deceive temporarily and that authoritarian regimes like the CCP will eventually fall, and the Chinese people will embrace freedom.
Guo Baosheng, a commentator on religious affairs and current events in Washington, D.C., shared that he only learned the truth about “June Fourth” several years after the crackdown. He described how, on the eve of the massacre in 1989, he saw graffiti in a restroom that read “oppose tyranny,” which deeply shook him. Over the following years, he gradually uncovered the reality that “June Fourth” was a brutal suppression by the CCP of peaceful student protests.
The significance of commemorating “June Fourth,” according to former Chinese human rights lawyer Wu Shaoping, lies in revealing the truth to the public. Wu, who was a middle school student during the Tiananmen Square protests, recalled being given a booklet that brainwashed students into believing distorted accounts of the event. It wasn’t until he was disciplined and transferred to teach in his city during high school that he came to understand the truth of “June Fourth.”
Wu Shaoping emphasized that the CCP’s lies can only deceive for a while and quoted the saying attributed to Lincoln, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Piero Tozzi, executive director of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, was invited to speak at the event. He refuted the CCP’s claim that Chinese people are incapable of embracing democracy, stating that democracy is not foreign to Chinese tradition. Tozzi cited Taiwan as an example of a successful democracy that respects human rights and aligns with Chinese cultural values.
Yupin Jian, a former Chinese human rights lawyer, reiterated his belief that freedom and democracy will prevail while authoritarian rule will ultimately collapse. He highlighted the three main factors contributing to the CCP’s eventual downfall – relying on violence and lies, the party’s fascist nature, and its false promotion of democracy.
Wu Chaoyang, who was persecuted by the CCP for participating in the “June Fourth” events, stressed the importance of remembering history and advocating not only for the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre but also for others oppressed by the Chinese government, including those in Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, and political prisoners in Chinese jails.
Despite the passing of many Tiananmen Mothers, Wu Chaoyang emphasized the enduring commitment to never forget the events of “June Fourth” and to continue speaking out against injustices and for the voices of the oppressed.
Li Yingzhi, a survivor of the Tiananmen Square protests who came to the U.S. last October, expressed hope that the end of the CCP’s authoritarian rule would lead to a new era of freedom in China. He wished for a future where commemorating “June Fourth” would not only bring sorrow but also joy in the knowledge of a more free and just society.