China Calls Rubio's Comments on Tiananmen Square Crackdown an 'Attack'

US Secretary of State Had Said the World Will 'Never Forget' 1989 Incident

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BEIJING - Beijing hit back on June 4 at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for saying that the world will "never forget" the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, describing his remarks as an "attack" on China.

Chinese troops and tanks forcibly cleared peaceful protesters from Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, after weeks-long demonstrations demanding greater political freedoms.

The exact toll is unknown but hundreds died, with some estimates putting the number at more than 1,000.

China's communist rulers have since sought to erase any public mention of the crackdown.

In a rare return to human rights rhetoric, Mr. Rubio said in a statement on June 3 the "world will never forget" what happened on June 4 even as Beijing "actively tries to censor the facts".

"Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Mr. Rubio said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian hit back at Mr. Rubio's comments during a June 4 briefing in Beijing.

"The erroneous statements by the US side maliciously distort historical facts, deliberately attack China's political system and developmental path, and seriously interfere in China's internal affairs," Mr. Lin said.