China hits out at Marco Rubio over criticism of 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown

China has lodged a protest about US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments about the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

“These remarks maliciously distort historical facts, attack China’s political system and development path, and interfere in China’s internal affairs,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press briefing on Wednesday.

He added that China was “strongly dissatisfied” with and “firmly opposed” Rubio’s comments criticising the Communist Party’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests, and “had lodged solemn representations with the US side”.

In a statement published on the State Department’s website and on social media, Rubio said: “[The Tiananmen protesters’] courage in the face of certain danger reminds us that the principles of freedom, democracy, and self-rule are not just American principles. They are human principles the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] cannot erase.”

The crackdown on the protests on June 4, 1989 has long been a political taboo for Beijing. The authorities have banned any public discussion of the incident on social media.

Beijing has consistently rejected criticisms of its actions, particularly from the US and other Western countries, and regards them as a public challenge to the country’s political system.