Taiwan holds up torch of Tiananmen as Hong Kong is silenced

Taiwan Tuesday marked 35 years since Chinese soldiers fired on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, with a series of events including a silent prayer, art exhibitions and a candlelight display.

The day, known simply as “June 4th” to Chinese speakers, inspires monuments and activities around the world in honor of dead democracy activists, but the island’s capital, Taipei, has taken on the added significance of being the only place in the Chinese-speaking world where a memorial is openly held.

The event was hosted on the grounds of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, named after Taiwan’s previous authoritarian leader. Since the island’s democratic transition, the venue has served as a staging ground for protests and human rights rallies.

“People’s attention to the June 4th event is gradually picking up momentum in Taiwan although I wouldn’t say it’s a super hot event yet because Taiwan has its own issues,” said Kasey Wong, an exhibition artist who participated in the Tuesday event. “But the event has become a platform that plants a seed in people in terms of citizen’s responsibility for freedom and democracy.”

“I think Taiwan is a beacon of democracy in Asia, so [the island] has the responsibility of upholding this event since Hong Kong is no longer able to do it.”

While the vigil was primarily about remembering the Tiananmen Square massacre, it featured artwork representing other political causes, ranging from Tibet to Hong Kong and Taiwanese civil society organizations.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in a post on Facebook that it was important to respond to authoritarianism with freedom and that the memory of June 4 would not disappear.

“This reminds us that democracy and freedom do not come easily and that we must build consensus with democracy and respond to authoritarianism with freedom,” Lai wrote.

“The memory of June 4th will not disappear in the torrent of history. We will continue to work hard to make this historical memory last forever and move everyone who cares about Chinese democracy.”

Taipei takes over from Hong Kong, a former British colony that for 30 years hosted the world’s largest annual Tiananmen Square vigil until pro-democracy protests in 2019, resulted in a broad political crackdown.

At its peak in 2019, the Hong Kong vigil drew a record 180,000 people as the city simmered with political frustration, but no formal remembrance has been permitted since then due at first to COVID-19 limits on gatherings and, later, to national security laws.

The Hong Kong group that organized the vigil folded in 2021, citing the new political situation, and its leaders were prosecuted for subversion and sedition for their involvement in a 2019 democracy rally. No other organization has stepped up to take its  place.

On Tuesday,  police in Hong Kong tightened security around Victoria Park, where June 4 candlelight vigils had  been held annually, witnesses said. 

Last Tuesday, Hong Kong police arrested six people for sedition under a national security law enacted this year, stemming from what media said were online posts linked to June 4. Two more have been arrested since.

Edited by Mike Firn.