The ruling Democratic Progressive Party says that the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre must be remembered.
June 4 marks the 31st anniversary of the massacre. In a statement released Thursday, the party urged China to give its people freedom, democracy, and human rights. The party said this is the only way for China to win the approval of the international community and the only way to maintain regional peace and stability.
Party heavyweights have also weighed in on the anniversary. In a post on her Facebook page, President Tsai Ing-wen said that the massacre should be remembered in China. Meanwhile, Legislature President Yu Shyi-kun called on the global community to save Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese by pressuring China to reform.
Across the party divide, members of the opposition KMT also commemorated the anniversary. In a post on his Facebook page Wednesday, KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang said that his party’s support for freedom, democracy, and human rights remains unchanged. On Thursday, former President Ma Ying-jeou urged China to face its past wrongs and rehabilitate those persecuted by the authorities.