TIANANMEN AT 35—THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY IN CHINA
US Congressional-Executive Commission on China
2118 Rayburn House Office Building | Tuesday, June 4, 2024 – 10:30am
In 1989, citizens in China from all walks of life participated in demonstrations that swept throughout the country including in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The peaceful demonstrators of that year called upon the Chinese government to eliminate corruption, accelerate political reform, and protect human rights, particularly the freedom of expression—demands echoed during the “White Paper” protests that spread throughout China in 2022. The Chinese Communist’s Party’s violent suppression of the 1989 demonstrations, along with ongoing censorship of any public discussion of what happened in June of 1989, have had far-reaching consequences for Chinese society and U.S.-China relations.
On the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, this hearing will review the legacy of the 1989 protests and look at how a new generation of advocates are seeking to both preserve the memory of Tiananmen and advocate for human rights and political reforms in the People’s Republic of China, despite increasing intimidation and censorship. Witnesses will provide testimony about Hong Kong’s efforts to repress Tiananmen commemorations, discuss the impact of the “White Paper Movement” on a next generation of advocates, and provide details about the PRC’s transnational repression efforts targeting those advocating for greater freedoms in China.
The hearing will be livestreamed on the CECC’s YouTube channel.
Witnesses:
Fengsuo Zhou—Tiananmen student leader and Executive Director, Human Rights in China
Rowena He—Senior Research Fellow, University of Texas, Austin and author of Tiananmen Exiles: Voices for the Struggle for Democracy in China
Ruohui Yang—founder of the human rights and democracy organization Assembly of Citizens and student at Humber College, Canada
“Karin” (an alias) —White Paper Protest activist and student at Columbia University (will appear in disguise)
More witnesses may be added