Embarrassment for President Jiang Zemin as Zhao Ziyang Criticizes Tiananmen Square Massacre

President Jiang Zemin's plans for a smooth visit to China by President Clinton have been disrupted by a long-overdue critique of the Tiananmen Square massacre from a former key leader, Zhao Ziyang. The former party general secretary, toppled from power for sympathizing with students in the square, has sparked international attention with his letter, where he referred to the massacre as "one of the biggest human rights problems of this century." This sudden rekindling of the sensitive issue has put China's leaders in an awkward position, particularly with President Clinton's scheduled talks on strategic issues including Taiwan.

Key Takeaways:

• Zhao Ziyang, a former Chinese Communist party leader, has called the Tiananmen Square massacre "one of the biggest human rights problems this century" in a letter seen by Reuters.
• The letter, written from Mr. Zhao's walled and heavily guarded home in Beijing, urges China's leaders to admit the crackdown was a mistake and to "sweep away an obstacle to better international relations."
• President Clinton's visit to China has been dogged by controversy in the US Congress, with some accusing him of kowtowing to the Chinese leadership despite his past stance against dictators.
• The move is seen as a major embarrassment for President Jiang Zemin, who was hoping to put the issue of the Tiananmen Square killings behind him with the visit.
• Ding Zilin, whose 17-year-old son was killed in Tiananmen Square, has expressed gratitude at Zhao's letter, saying it gives her confidence about the future.
• The Chinese government has denied visas to three journalists working for Radio Free Asia, sparking criticism from rights activists and further highlighting the government's attitude towards human rights.

Statistics:

• 9 years: The amount of time Zhao Ziyang has been held under increasingly strict house arrest.
• 17 years: The age of Ding Zilin's son who was killed in Tiananmen Square.
• 1989: The year of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
• 9 days: The length of President Clinton's state visit to China.

Sources:

• Reuters news agency
• The Times (1998)