China Labour Bulletin appears in the following article. Copyright remains with the original publisher.
Tiananmen Crackdown Was Correct, China Official Says
By Allen T. Cheng
Bloomberg
2 June 2005
The Chinese government's crackdown on student protests on June 4, 1989, was the "right thing to do,'' China's Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
"The government's view on June 4th hasn't changed,'' Kong Quan said during a regular briefing in Beijing. "You can see China's development and reforms and strengthening of democracy and human rights all indicates the decision was the correct one.''
June 4 will be the 16th anniversary of the bloody crackdown of tens of thousands of student protesters who gathered in Beijing's Tiananmen Square to demand democratic reforms. Hundreds of protesters, perhaps more, were killed when People's Liberation Army troops stormed the square in the early hours of the morning.
"China has prospered,'' Kong said. "The decision was correct.''
Robin Munro, the Hong Kong-based director of labor activist group China Labour Bulletin, said conditions have worsened for China's workers since 1989.
"If you just look at the gross domestic product figures, you miss the bigger picture,'' said Munro, whose group was founded by Han Dongfang, a June 4th activist who was expelled from China.
"For the average Chinese worker, salaries have fallen on a purchasing power basis, and millions of state workers have been laid off while their managers are handed state assets on a silver platter,'' he said. "China's reforms have come with escalating corruption and we see no end in sight.''
Tiananmen Crackdown Was Correct, China Official Says
By Allen T. Cheng
Bloomberg
2 June 2005
The Chinese government's crackdown on student protests on June 4, 1989, was the "right thing to do,'' China's Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
"The government's view on June 4th hasn't changed,'' Kong Quan said during a regular briefing in Beijing. "You can see China's development and reforms and strengthening of democracy and human rights all indicates the decision was the correct one.''
June 4 will be the 16th anniversary of the bloody crackdown of tens of thousands of student protesters who gathered in Beijing's Tiananmen Square to demand democratic reforms. Hundreds of protesters, perhaps more, were killed when People's Liberation Army troops stormed the square in the early hours of the morning.
"China has prospered,'' Kong said. "The decision was correct.''
Robin Munro, the Hong Kong-based director of labor activist group China Labour Bulletin, said conditions have worsened for China's workers since 1989.
"If you just look at the gross domestic product figures, you miss the bigger picture,'' said Munro, whose group was founded by Han Dongfang, a June 4th activist who was expelled from China.
"For the average Chinese worker, salaries have fallen on a purchasing power basis, and millions of state workers have been laid off while their managers are handed state assets on a silver platter,'' he said. "China's reforms have come with escalating corruption and we see no end in sight.''