China Can't Erase Memory of Tiananmen Square Massacre: Rubio

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown on Wednesday, saying Chinese censorship cannot erase the memory of the protesters killed when troops moved against demonstrators in Beijing on June 4, 1989.

While China continues to censor discussion of Tiananmen Square and suppress public commemorations, the anniversary remains a focal point for criticism of the country’s human rights record and a recurring source of tension between Washington and Beijing.

What Happened at Tiananmen Square

Tens of thousands of students, workers and other demonstrators gathered in and around Tiananmen Square in the spring of 1989, calling for political reform, greater freedoms and action against corruption.

On June 4, 1989, the People’s Liberation Army rolled into Tiananmen Square where, opening fire on crowds and running over those who seeking to block their advance.

Up to 1,000 civilians were killed, according to estimates by human rights groups and Western outlets based on hospital records, eyewitness accounts, diplomatic cables, and counts of known victims and missing persons. The Chinese government gives a much-lower figure of 200 to 300.

“On June 4, the world marks 37 years since the Chinese Communist Party ordered its troops to attack thousands of peaceful demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square,” Rubio said.

“Chinese students, workers, and other civilians who lost their lives had gathered to exercise their natural rights and demand democratic reforms and accountability for corruption,” he went on. “We remember their lives and honor their legacy. No amount of censorship can erase the past.”

Rubio has long been one of Beijing’s most outspoken critics, both as Secretary of State and previously as a U.S. senator, where he backed legislation targeting Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses.

Beijing retaliated with its own sanctions, including an entry ban-which became awkward dilemma when Trump tapped him to lead the State Department during his second presidential term.

China ultimately sidestepped the issue by changing a character in the Chinese rendering of Rubio’s name than the one listed in the sanctions, clearing the way for him to accompany Trump to Beijing for last month’s talks.

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. by email with a request for comment outside of regular office hours.

Beijing’s Campaign to Bury Tiananmen

China maintains the world’s most sophisticated censorship apparatus. Mention of sensitive topics such as the Tiananmen Square crackdown-even perceived references-are quickly scrubbed from social media.

Beijing tightens security around Tiananmen Square each year to prevent public commemorations or protests.

Local authorities are similarly vigilant in Hong Kong, where people have been arrested even for candlelight vigils since Beijing’s crackdown on civil liberties in the city in 2020. Hong Kong previously hosted the largest public memorials commemorating the victims of the crackdown.

Today, Taiwan hosts the only large-scale Tiananmen Square memorials held anywhere in the Chinese-speaking world.

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 6:49 AM.