China cites progress to justify Tiananmen massacre

Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre, China today cited the progress made in the last three decades to justify the crackdown on pro-democracy student movement asserting that there are no dissidents but only law breakers in the country.
"In China there are only law breakers no dissidents as you mentioned," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing parrying a volley of questions on the crackdown on dissidents.
"Relevant department conduct action in accordance with law and our judicial independence should be respected," he said.
Hong said there was no change in the official determination that the decision to crackdown was in the interest of the people.

"As for these incidents, we have reached relevant conclusions. More than 30 years of reform and opening up we have achieved remarkable progress in social and economic development," he said.
"Our democratic and the system of rule of is improving and our system of advantages become more oblivious. These realties show that the path we have chosen is line with our national conditions and in fundamental interest of Chinese people. It reflects the common aspiration of Chinese people," he said.

Thousands of students and youth were reported to have been killed in brutal military crackdown on thousands of pro-democracy students on June 4, 1989 at the historic Tiananmen square where the ruling Communist Party ordered the deployment battle tanks.

The crackdown ended more than a month of peaceful protests seeking political reforms.
Every year sections of Chinese population including intellectuals and the mothers and relatives of those killed in action commemorate the event.
China deployed large number of security forces in Beijing to ensure no demonstrations take place.
Former government officials, student leaders and other eyewitnesses revisit the momentous events of spring, 1989 which continue to haunt China a quarter century later.
A special event was held in Hong Kong to commemorate the anniversary.
About EU condemning the crackdown, Hong said China is strongly dissatisfied with the words and actions by outside parties.

About complaints of harassment and intimidation of foreign journalist, he said China stands ready to provide all necessary conveniences to foreign journalists but at the same they should abide by the Chinese laws.