On May 7th (Tuesday), “June Fourth” democracy movement leader Zhou Fengsuo visited the San Francisco Bay Area and granted interviews to the media. He looked back on the tragic event of the “Tiananmen Square Massacre” involving tanks in Beijing on June 4, 1989, discussed the hardships of Chinese people striving for “freedom, democracy,” and expressed his determination to seek justice for the events of June Fourth.
Mr. Zhou Fengsuo stated: “I founded Humanitarian China to advocate for the rescue of political prisoners in China. Today, in this free country of America, discussing what happened at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 4, 1989, how tragic it was, many find it hard to believe and understand! People ask me, tanks are military weapons, how did they appear at Tiananmen Square? Is it possible for tanks to run over people’s bodies? Therefore, I must mention Mr. Fang Zheng, everyone in San Francisco knows Mr. Fang Zheng, who lost his legs during the ‘Tiananmen Square Massacre’.”
Recalling his experiences 35 years ago in Tiananmen Square, Mr. Zhou Fengsuo shared that he was among the first students to arrive at Tiananmen Square, stayed there for 50 days, and assisted many students in evacuating after the armed crackdown, being among the last to leave.
He reminisced that initially, people gathered at Tiananmen Square to mourn the passing of former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang. Later, those who remained at Tiananmen Square were mostly university students and young people, engaging in discussions about China’s future, human rights, and the topics of “freedom, democracy,” with a rare sense of shared political understanding.
“I remember speaking about certain topics at the time, not thinking much about the audience’s reaction, but the next day, it was published in newspapers and magazines! This way, everyone knew about it, and it also drew the attention of the Beijing political authorities…” Mr. Zhou Fengsuo recalled.
He mentioned, “I know that as the anniversary of ‘June Fourth’ approaches each year, people will mourn in various ways. Even in the tightly controlled mainland under the Chinese Communist Party, people may mourn in small groups or light candles privately. On WeChat, where speech is strictly censored, people may just post a candle symbol, conveying a silent message that signifies mutual understanding.”
Displaying a poster from the 1998 “Hong Kong Victoria Park,” where people mourned the “June Fourth Heroes,” Mr. Zhou Fengsuo emphasized, “Each flicker of candlelight forms an ocean, commemorating every life sacrificed in the fight for ‘freedom, democracy’ in China. ‘Justice for June Fourth’ is my heartfelt plea.”
Mr. Zhou Fengsuo, while being interviewed by Epoch Times, expressed, “Present-day Hong Kong is under communist rule, no longer the Hong Kong of the past, without the ‘June Fourth Victoria Park.’ Contrasting the political environments of Hong Kong and Taiwan, ten years ago, Taiwan experienced the ‘Sunflower Movement’ where people could gather and express political demands. This happened in Taiwan, showing that Taiwan is a country of freedom and democracy. In contrast, the ‘Umbrella Movement’ in Hong Kong was suppressed by the Chinese Communist Party, leading to the imposition of the national security law and Article 23 of the Basic Law, not only affecting Hong Kong but extending its control beyond. If Taiwan does not uphold freedom and democracy, it could become the next Hong Kong!”
When asked about his biggest takeaway after 35 years of advocating for the truth about the “Tiananmen Square Massacre” and seeking justice for June Fourth, Mr. Zhou Fengsuo said, “I saw a 20-minute video at Mr. Fang Zheng’s place, showing tanks rolling over students’ bodies at Tiananmen Square. Although I was at Tiananmen Square at the time and knew what happened, I did not have concrete evidence on film. To have obtained such precious footage today is as solid as a mountain of evidence! Additionally, in my 35 years of advocacy, I have learned about more individuals who lost their lives, who are they?! I believe there are many more sacrificed individuals whose names I do not know!”