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Human rights
Tiananmen Square Document 24: Department of State Intelligence Brief, "Current Situation in China: Background and Prospects," Ca., 1989
June 10, 1989
This brief explains the current situation within the context of the Chinese leadership crisis that had been broiling for two years. (June 10, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 25: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 10, 1989, China: Mixed Signals on Purge, 1989
June 10, 1989
This document explores the meaning of Xiaoping's speech, and also reports that Chinese authorities continue to round up suspected "counterrevolutionaries." (June 10, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 23: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 9, 1989, China: Uneasy Calm, 1989
June 9, 1989
The document suggests that Chinese leaders have initiated a defensive campaign combining mass arrests and detentions with vehement denials that there were heavy civilian casualties during the military crackdown.
Tiananmen Square Document 22: Cable, TFCH01--SITREP No. 38: June 7, 1900 Hours, 1989
June 7, 1989
This intriguing cable describes a sequence of events that occurred as a large convoy of troops from the 27th Army passed near the Jianguomenwai diplomatic compound and U.S. embassy residences on their way out of the city as part of a major troop rotation. (June 7, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 21: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 7, 1989, China: Tense Standoff Continues, 1989
June 7, 1989
By the time the State Department had put together this intelligence summary for the Secretary on the morning of June 7, many of the rumors generated in the past two days we refuted.
Tiananmen Square Document 20: Cable, TFCH01--SITREP No. 37: June 7, 0500 Hours Local, 1989
June 6, 1989
Embassy officials report continuing large-scale troop movements around Beijing. (June 6, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 19: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 6, 1989, China: Descent into Chaos, 1989
June 6, 1989
This Department of State morning summary describes clashes among different PLA units, with sources claiming that in many cases the soldiers were sympathetic with the demonstrators and often complicit in the destruction of their own military vehicles.
Tiananmen Square Document 18: Cable, SITREP No. 35: June 6, 0500 Hours, 1989
June 5, 1989
This report from the U.S. Embassy stated that a western military attaché had told the U.S. military representative that one PLA unit, the 27th Army, "was responsible for most of the death and destruction at Tiananmen Square on June 3." (June 5, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 12: Cable, SITREP 1, 1989
June 3, 1989
This document, the first in this series of SITREPs, updates U.S. embassy and consular personnel around the world on the first violent clashes with demonstrators. (June 3, 1989)
Tiananmen Square Document 9: Secretary of State's Morning Summary for June 3, 1989, China: Police Use Tear Gas on Crowds, 1989
June 3, 1989
This document describes two incidents that in retrospect may have convinced Chinese authorities that the use of force was necessary.
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Featured Articles
January 4, 2024
We note the passing of many prominent individuals who played some role in U.S.-China affairs, whether in politics, economics or in helping people in one place understand the other.
Events
Thursday, March 21, 2024 - 4:00pm PST
Ying Zhu looks at new developments for Chinese and global streaming services.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - 4:00pm
David Zweig examines China's talent recruitment efforts, particularly towards those scientists and engineers who left China for further study. U.S. universities, labs and companies have long brought in talent from China. Are such people still welcome?