China: Rubio's words on Tiananmen are an attack, protest lodged

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urges not to forget the bloody events of Tiananmen Square, when demonstrations by thousands of people in Beijing were brutally suppressed by the military. "The Chinese Communist Party is actively trying to censor the events, but the world will never forget. Today we commemorate the courage of the Chinese people who were killed while trying to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution while seeking justice for the events of 4 June 1989," Rubio noted in a note, on the 36th anniversary of the tragic events. "Their courage in the face of inescapable danger reminds us that the principles of freedom, democracy and self-government are not just American principles. They are human principles that the Chinese Communist Party cannot erase,' Rubio concluded.

Harsh criticism came from Beijing over Rubio's statements - for whom the world "will never forget" the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown - described as "an attack" on China. "The US misstatements maliciously distort historical facts, deliberately attack China's political system and development path, and seriously interfere in our country's internal affairs," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. "The Chinese side is deeply displeased with this and strongly opposes it. We have lodged a solemn protest with the US side."