Days of 1989: June 20, Shanghai Executes 3, Bush Pens Secret Letter to Deng Xiaoping

On June 20, 1989, Shanghai sentenced three people to death for participating in riots.

The White House announced its suspension of all high-level Sino-US official contacts. Yet on the same day, President Bush wrote a secret letter to Deng Xiaoping in order to preserve the relationship.


Days of 1989

Days of 1989: June 16, Yang Tao Arrested, Yuan Mu Spoke to American TV Audiance

On June 16, 1989, student leader Yang Tao was arrested in the remote Gansu province.

The government spokesman Yuan Mu was interviewed by NBC host Tom Brokaw. Yuan Mu stated that there was no death during the final clearance of Tiananmen Square. But he also explained that there were casualties during the entire event. During the interview, he emphasized that modern technology had enabled people make false video evidences, implicitly attacking western media.

A segment of Yuan Mu's interview can still be seen in this snippet of Taiwan TV news.


Days of 1989

Pictures of 1989: Workers Clean Monument of People's Heroes on June 15, 1989

On June 15, 1989, workers clean up the base of the Monument of People's Heroes, where students made their unsuccessful last stand on the night of the massacre.

Pictures of 1989

Days of 1989: June 14, More Arrests and Crackdowns

On June 14, 1989, under the intense pressure of the Most Wanted, Zhou Fengsuo was arrested at his home, reportedly turned in by his own sister. (Zhou Fengsuo later claims that his sister had been deceived.) Xiong Yan was caught in a train. Ma Shaofang and Xiong Wei chose to turn themselves in separately.

Also arrested on this day were Dai Qing and Gao Xin.

More Most Wanted were published, this time include leaders of the Workers Autonomous Federation Han Dongfang, He Lili, and Liu Qiang.


Days of 1989

Days of 1989: June 11, Xiao Bin Arrested, Zhou Yongjun Turned himself in, Fang Lizhi Wanted

On June 11, 1989, Beijing Public Security Bureau officially published the Most Wanted notice on Fang Lizhi and Li Shuxian. The two of them had already taken refuge in the American embassy at the time.

Zhou Yongjun, on the other hand, chose to turn himself in on this day.

Also arrested on this day is a man by the name of Xiao Bin. On June 4, he was caught on the camera of American TV news exaggerating the scenes of the massacre. He was later sentenced to 10 years prison term.

In Paris, 17-year-old American Chinese tennis player Michael Chang won the French Open. He spoke on God bless Chinese people.


Days of 1989

Days of 1989: June 9, Deng Xiaoping Receives Martial Law Troops

On June 9, 1989, Deng Xiaoping finally appeared in public after the massacre by meeting with a large assemble of officers of martial law troops. He was accompanied by Yang Shangkun, Li Peng, Qiao Shi, Yao Yilin, Wan Li, etc. -- an early indication of who among the top leaders had gained the upper hand.

Deng Xiaoping delivered a lengthy speech to establish the official party line on the massacre.

Also on this day, the city of Shanghai mobilized a hundred thousand workers to clear obstacles in her streets. Normal order gradually returned to the city.


Days of 1989

People of 1989: Qiao Shi (乔石)

Qiao Shi was born in 1924 at Shanghai. He joined the Chinese Communist Party when he was not even 16 years old and quickly became active in the underground. He helped lead a few student movements in that era.

In the early 1980s, Qiao Shi's political career was reaching its peak. He held the offices of Party Central Chief of Staff, Head of Department of Personnel, Head of the Political and Law Commission, etc., as well as a member of the most powerful Politburo Standing Committee. For many years, he was in charge of the personnel and disciplinary matters of the Party.

In 1988, he had an extended work trip to Tibet, for which he was connected to the execution of martial law in Lhasa in March, 1989.

During the 1989 student movement, Qiao Shi had kept an extremely low profile. He only appeared in public a couple of times along with other Politburo members and never voiced any opinion of his own. In the few days after the massacre when an uncertain power vacuum existed at the top, Qiao Shi was once rumored to be the new General Secretary. However, when the dust settled, the post unexpected went to Jiang Zemin. Qiao Shi later became the Chairman of the National People's Congress and the number 3 leader behind Jiang Zemin and Li Peng in the new leadership collective.

On June 23, 1989, Jiang Zemin (right), Li Peng (center), and Qiao Shi (back) meet Li Xiannian (left).

In November, 1989, Qiao Shi led a delegate of Chinese Communist Party dignitaries to visit a few east European countries. They made to Romania and Bulgaria on the eve of their respective political changes, but was too late for Czechoslovak, whose Communist Party collapsed just days before.

Qiao Shi died on June 14, 2015 in Beijing. He was 91.


People of 1989