Tiananmen anniversary: China blasts UNHRC chief, US

China today rejected as "strong interference" the calls by UNHRC chief Navi Pillay and the US to release the truth behind the Tiananmen crackdown on this day 25 years ago and asked them to stop making "irresponsible remarks" on its internal affairs.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the statement by the world rights body's chief amounted to "gravely interfering" in China's judicial sovereignty and internal affairs.
Pillay yesterday called on China's Communist authorities to immediately release over 10 "activists" rounded up ahead of the Tiananmen anniversary for their exercise of their rights and freedom of expression. She also asked China to release the truth about what had actually happened at the Sqaure in Beijing in 1989.

"It is outside her mandate and represents strong interference in China's internal affairs. China (is) firmly opposed to that," Hong said.
China tries hard to quash any public memories of the June 3-4 crackdown by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) when soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed civilians -- and by some estimates, more than 1,000 -- to crush a movement by pro-democracy students.
While China detained dozens of activists as a precaution to prevent any demonstrations, tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong for potentially the biggest commemoration yet seen in the honour of those killed in the 1989 massacre.

Pro-China supporters also organised a rally in Hong Kong defending the crackdown leading to tensions between the two groups, the South China Morning Post reported.

China continues to defend the crackdown saying the progress made by the country in the last few decades justified its decision. The authorities classify the 1989 protests as counter-revolutionary riots and hold no memorial.
Hong said China's "tremendous" achievement in the field of human rights is there for all to see.
Without directly referring to the Tiananmen incident, Hong said: "Over the 30 years of reforms and opening up, China has achieved remarkable progress in social and economic development.