Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/cnforbiddennews Like us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/chinaforbiddennews January 17 will be the ninth anniversary of the death of former CCP General Secretary Zhao Ziyang. Zhao was forced to step down, and was placed under house arrest for the last 15 years of his life. This happened because he sympathized with the students during the June 4 Tiananmen Square massacre, and was against military repression. The Chinese Communist regime's fear of Zhao Ziyang did not disappear after his death. The authorities try to reduce public attention on Zhao Ziyang, especially at this time of year. Zhao Ziyang was born on October 17, 1919, Henan Province. Zhao was Premier from 1980 to 1987, and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1987 to 1989. During June 4 1989, Zhao Ziyang was dismissed from all his posts, for being sympathetic towards the students. He was put under house arrest for 15 years until his death on January 17, 2005. Observers believe that he is an "iconic figure" of the modern democratic movement in China. He was a rare maverick during the history of the CCP. Bao Tong, former political secretary of Zhao Ziyang: "This is because he was preoccupied with people. People thought highly of him. He believed the military shouldn't fire on its own citizens, and was against armed suppression." 82-year-old Mr. Bao served as Zhao's political secretary from 1980 to 1989. He was a committee member for the 13th Party Congress, and Director of the General Secretary Office of the CCP. Bao Tong was also imprisoned for seven years after June 4. He was released in 1996, and has been under house arrest ever since. The Chinese authorities have thus far not changed their attitude towards Zhao Ziyang. Mr Bao said that the military crackdown on the students is a sin of the Chinese authorities. The Chinese people have a clear perception of June 4, where students demanded democracy and anti-corruption. Former CCP leader Deng Xiaoping spoke about Zhao Ziyang in 1988. Zhao was described as being engaged in liberalization, and would step down before long. After the gunshots were heard on June 4, 'liberalist' Zhao Ziyang was finally dismissed by Deng Xiaoping. Zhao Ziyang did not appear in public, after he visited students on hunger strike in Tiananmen Square on May 19, 1989. Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper reported that Zhao had sent a letter to the CCP 15th Party Congress. This requested the re-evaluation of June 4, after Deng Xiaoping's death in 1997. Then leader Jiang Zemin undertook punitive retaliation, putting Zhao Ziyang under house arrest, and banning him from seeing visitors. Bao Tong: "I think it is right for Zhao Ziyang to refuse to confess any wrongs, because he has done nothing wrong. Deng Xiaoping said that you can be an official at any level if you come out to admit mistakes. Zhao Ziyang said he had made no mistakes. If Zhao Ziyang admitted he was wrong, that was to say that firing on people in Tiananmen Square was correct. If it was correct, then they would do it in the past, and in the future." The commemoration of Zhao Ziyang is a reflection on him, and also dissatisfaction with current CCP regime. Bao Tong: "I think that there should be fairness and justice in a aw abiding country. If you can find things that are unfair and unjust, then the country itself, the government itself, and the leaders are probably not fair and judicial. I believe you can get fairness and justice under a judicial system." Bao Tong believes that it's up to the new leaders to solve this problem. Will they have ability to give fairness and justice back to the country, to the people. Bao Tong: "I hope China can become country where information is free, and not controlled. Freedom of information would not only influence Mr. Zhao Ziyang, but influence our whole country. It will not only impact now, but impact the future. I hope people can publish, speak and exchange ideas freely in our country. It's more like a prison when people can't speak and communicate freely in a country." Even now, the Chinese regime still tries to minimise public attention on Zhao, especially this anniversary. In spite of this, there are still a lot of Chinese people who visit his former home to mourn, bringing wreaths and baskets. They mourn for a former official who stood on the people's side during the confrontation between them and the CCP. 《神韵》2014世界巡演新亮点 http://www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org/

• published: 17 Jan 2014
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