The Tiananmen Square Protest In China

"In recent years Chinese college students have been rebellious against all sorts of authority, the favorite word among the youth in China is No."(Bernstein, The New York Times). The Tiananmen Square Protest in 1989 campaigned for a peaceful transition from Communism to Democracy. Although the protest itself was non-violent, the government imposed terror to suppress the violence. The bloodshed that resulted from the tanks and soldiers drew foreign attentions. Thus, the Tiananmen Square has destructed China’s communist image over the past decade. Nevertheless, the Chinese government did not take the protest as a turning point to its socialist market or government. China launched its political and socialist reforms in 1976, thirteen years before

The Tiananmen Square rebellion had an immediate effect on China’s foreign relations. “Together with its allies, the United States quickly imposed a series of diplomatic and economic sanctions against China” (The National Bureau of Asian Research). With declined tourism and withdrawing foreign investments, China’s GDP growth rate dropped from 11 to 3%. As a result, China wanted to over come the to international isolation, and to rebuild relationship with foreign countries and regain access to international markets and investments. Over time, China has gradually regained the relationship through communication, compromisation, and restored affairs. However, the Tiananmen Square Protest has damaged China’s international image. To the world, it was a shocking to see the government violently suppress freedom and violate the basics of human rights. The US president George Bush said, “he deeply deplored the use of force”, while the UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said she was “shocked and appalled by the shootings” (BBC News). When China attempted to regain its image by hosting the 2000 Olympics game, the International Olympics Committee received multiple complaints on China’s lack of political freedom and human rights. Furthermore, many countries continue to urge the China to reveal the truth. “In 2009, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, released a statement to urge Beijing to account for those killed in a crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square 20 years ago” (Branigan). Additionally, the Tiananmen Square puts democracy in a certain text. By demonizing the Chinese, it makes China and Communism appear weaker, especially when they are antagonize on the ground of lesser human rights. Thus, in the next five years, the Tiananmen Square