June 4, 2025 marks 36 years since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) turned its guns on its own people, opening fire on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square. The massacre remains one of the most heavily censored and politically sensitive topics in China. But while the CCP has tried to erase the memory of that blood-soaked night, its legacy continues to reverberate—especially as Beijing tightens its grip on history, dissent, and digital life.
The Night That Changed China Forever
In the spring of 1989, what began as a student-led protest for freedom and reform turned into a massive movement that spread across China. Sparked by the death of reformist leader Hu Yaobang, the demonstrations drew together students, workers, and intellectuals demanding democracy, accountability, and an end to CCP corruption.
Instead, they got tanks.
On the night of June 3–4, China’s rulers, fearing loss of control, unleashed the People’s Liberation Army. Troops opened fire on unarmed civilians, killing hundreds—possibly thousands. To this day, the exact death toll is unknown. The regime never acknowledged the massacre, never held anyone accountable, and never allowed an open investigation.
Instead, it buried the truth beneath layers of censorship, propaganda, and fear.
The Price of “Stability” Under Deng and Xi
Though he’s often praised as the architect of China’s modern economy, Deng Xiaoping’s approval of military force in 1989 laid down a brutal rule: economic freedom would not mean political freedom. Under Deng, and every leader since, this unspoken agreement shaped Chinese society: “Get rich—but don’t get involved.”
Now, under Xi Jinping, even that fragile compromise is unraveling.
Xi has re-centralized power, removed term limits, and built the most advanced surveillance state in human history. From facial recognition to AI-powered social credit systems, the CCP can monitor, score, and punish citizens for everything from political dissent to attending church.
Digital life in China—dominated by WeChat—serves as a tool of control, not empowerment. Every message, every purchase, every movement is traceable.
Tiananmen Memory Criminalized in Hong Kong
Nowhere has Beijing’s war on memory been more tragic than in Hong Kong, once the lone bastion of public Tiananmen remembrance on Chinese soil. For decades, tens of thousands gathered in Victoria Park to hold candlelight vigils—until 2020.
That year, the CCP imposed the draconian National Security Law, effectively outlawing protest and political dissent in the name of “national unity.” Since then:
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Vigil organizers were arrested
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The June 4th Museum was shut down
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The “Pillar of Shame” statue was seized and removed
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Renowned scholars like Rowena He were expelled
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Clergy such as Cardinal Joseph Zen were arrested and silenced
Beijing has methodically erased even the possibility of public memory.
Taiwan Stands as a Beacon
In defiance of China’s repression, Taiwan continues to honor Tiananmen. In Taipei’s Liberty Square, thousands gathered this week to remember the dead, defend the truth, and resist Beijing’s assault on freedom.
President Lai Ching-te reaffirmed Taiwan’s commitment to memory and democracy, declaring:
“Democratic societies have a duty to preserve historical truth and honor those who gave their lives for human rights.”
A replica of the banned “Pillar of Shame” stood at the heart of the vigil, a powerful symbol that freedom and memory still have guardians in the Chinese-speaking world.
Beijing’s War Isn’t Just on Protest—It’s on History
Tiananmen is not just a banned topic—it’s a criminal offense to remember it in China. Search results are scrubbed, textbooks are rewritten, and even private discussions are monitored. “Tank Man”—once the face of courage—is now an image you cannot legally possess or share.
The CCP’s war on June 4 is a war against truth itself. But in every banned photo, every flickering candle, and every whispered prayer, the memory survives.
Conclusion: The Battle Is Not Over
Thirty-six years later, the bullets may have stopped—but the battle for memory, truth, and freedom continues. From Hong Kong’s silenced streets to Taiwan’s glowing vigils, and from censored classrooms to encrypted messages, Tiananmen lives on—because people refuse to forget.
To remember June 4 is to resist tyranny. To speak its name is to defy erasure.
And today, the world remembers.