Which Would Receive Highest Praise in Traditional Chinese Art Criticism
The Chinese Communist Political party has shied from praising or reporting details well-nigh infamous spokesman
Yuan Mu, the Chinese regime spokesman who claimed that "non a single person died at Tiananmen Square," following the 1989 student protests that ended in a bloody crackdown in June of that year, died Dec. 13. He was 90.
According to state media, Yuan'due south funeral was held at Babaoshan, a cemetery for senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, on Dec. 23. While several current and retired Party leaders sent wreaths to commemorate his passing, notably absent amid them was Chinese leader 11 Jinping.
Party-controlled media didn't written report his death until December. 25, when Xinhua ran an commodity that was republished by other outlets. In addition, the obituary didn't afford Yuan whatever of the praise normally given to deceased CCP officials, simply consisted only of a brief resume of his career.
The resume noted Yuan's position as director and Party secretary in the research office of the State Council, and that he had been a member of the standing committee of the Eighth National Commission of the Chinese People'southward Political Consultative Briefing, a CCP establishment for relations with Chinese society and government.
The report appeared to alter Yuan'due south date of birth, putting it in Dec 1927 rather than the Jan. one, 1928, that was accepted earlier.
"Chinese media are beingness extraordinarily skittish about reporting the expiry of Yuan Mu. … Nerves over the 30th ceremony?" New York Times reporter Chris Buckley posted via Twitter.
Buckley says that the Party may be worried that Yuan'due south death could stir up unwanted political sentiments, given the proximity to the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 2019.
'Not a Unmarried Person Died'
The Tiananmen protests began in April 1989 in response to growing discontent over corruption and abuse of power by the CCP, too as the death of the recently ousted reformist leader Hu Yaobang. By May, the protests involved more than a million people across the state, including 100,000 gathered in Tiananmen Foursquare, in the center of Beijing.
Martial police force was imposed in May, and on the night of June 3 and into the early hours of June 4, troops of the People's Liberation Regular army (PLA) surrounded and killed thousands of people, generally university students, who hadn't dispersed from Tiananmen Square.
Yuan shortly became infamous for his conflicting and deceptive statements equally the CCP's official spokesman in the aftermath.
On June 17, 13 days later on the massacre, Yuan said in an interview that "not a single person died at Tiananmen Square," and that military vehicles hadn't crushed a single protester.
But on June six, merely days afterwards the massacre, Yuan had said at a press conference that fewer than 300 people had died throughout the unabridged protestation and its suppression, while more than ii,000 were injured.
Among the deaths, "at that place were soldiers, rioters, and those caught in the crossfire," Yuan said. "Subsequently an investigation from the universities, nosotros take by now confirmed the deaths of 23 students."
Yuan claimed that more than than 5,000 PLA soldiers and around two,000 "rioters" and "bystanders ignorant of the circumstances" were wounded.
Yuan's words invited widespread criticism.
James R. Lilley, then-U.Due south. Ambassador to Cathay, wrote in his book, "China Hands," that after the Tiananmen Square massacre, "among the press corps, Yuan was so unpopular that he earned the clarification 'reptilian.'"
Lilley as well noted that "Yuan Mu, who hates America and then much and berated my country every solar day," had his daughter employ for a U.S. visa and subsequently sent her to study in the United States.
When the Chinese authorities received international criticism for the Tiananmen massacre, Yuan shrugged it off: "We are not afraid, no matter what kind of tactics they use. Criticize us? Sanction united states? Nosotros Chinese people will not permit them to interfere in People's republic of china'southward domestic affairs, either by condemnation or by sanction."
Afterwards Yuan retired, he gave a telephone interview to Radio Gratuitous Asia (RFA) in May 2012, during which, he refrained from giving detailed comments virtually the events.
"I don't know much about diplomacy at the highest level," Yuan told RFA. "I can't limited them clearly on the phone. They tin't be explained in only a few words."
"I don't actually know near [the leaders'] business. Don't enquire me. Go ask someone who really understands the state of affairs," Yuan, who was 84 at the time, said.
Regarding the minimal acknowledgment of Yuan by elevation CCP leaders upon his decease, U.S.-based Cathay affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan told The Epoch Times on Dec. 26 that "the CCP doesn't desire to stir upwardly memories amidst the Chinese most the Tiananmen massacre by reporting on Yuan's expiry."
Tang also speculated virtually the reasons for Xi failing to extend condolences: "In fact, the CCP is clashing nearly Yuan Mu, due to his bad reputation. Xi Jinping didn't transport a wreath, possibly considering he fears damaging his personal image should he be associated with Yuan's negative standing."
Nicole Hao is a Washington-based reporter focused on China-related topics. Before joining the Epoch Media Group in July 2009, she worked as a global product managing director for a railway business in Paris, French republic.
Source: https://www.theepochtimes.com/yuan-mu-chinese-official-who-claimed-no-deaths-at-tiananmen-dead-at-90_2750164.html
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