25th Anniversary of Tiananmen: CECC Resources


In 1989 citizens from all walks of life participated in demonstrations in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and throughout China calling for political reform, respect for universal freedoms of speech, assembly, and association, and an end to government corruption. The government's violent suppression of the protests in June of that year had far-reaching ramifications for both the development of human rights and rule of law in China and U.S.-China relations. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China has a number of resources to assist in understanding the ongoing significance of this event and its impact on China’s human rights and rule of law development.

CECC Members' Statements on 25th Anniversary

Hearing: “Tiananmen at 25: Enduring Influence on U.S.-China Relations and China’s Political Development” (May 20, 2014)

Political Prisoners Related to Tiananmen

In the lead-up to the 25th anniversary, Chinese officials have detained a number of individuals, which the Commission has documented in its constantly updated Political Prisoner Database (follow the hyperlink for information on the cases below). 

Pu Zhiqiang                                          Hao Jian

Liu Di                                                   Chen Guang

Hu Shigen                                            Qu Zhenhong

Sun Feng                                             Wang Qingying

Liu Shihui                                             Liu Wei

Chen Zhaozhi                                       Gu Yimin

Xu Youyu                                              Chen Wei

Yu Shiwen                                            Shi Yu

Fang Yan                                              Hou Shuai

Zhang Kunle                                          Wu Wei

In addition, the Commission has documented the detention of other individuals who participated in the 1989 protests and remain detained today for activities related to peacefully advocating or exercising internationally recognized human rights, including:

Liu Xiaobo                                           Chen Youcai

Liu Xianbin                                          Zhao Changqing

Other Hearings & Roundtables On Tiananmen  

CECC Analysis Related to Tiananmen

 Other CECC Resources on Recent Human Rights Developments

  • CECC Commissioners Letter to President Xi Jinping Calls for End to Crackdown on Rights Advocates
  • Inadequate Medical Care Provided to Cao Shunli Before Her Death in Prison
  • Xi’s Anticorruption Campaign Targeting Transparency Advocates
  • Equality and Government Transparency Liu Xia Health Deteriorates Under Arbitrary Detention
  • Latest Setback for Foreign Journalists As New York Times Reporter Leaves China
  • Ilham Tohti and His Students Arrested
  • Labor Leader’s Detention Highlights Challenges of Collective Bargaining in China
  • Government Announces Revision to Population Planning Policy
  • China Continues to Repatriate North Koreans After UN Commission on Inquiry Report