Economist Podcasts Thirty years of forgetting: Tiananmen
Jun 4, 2019
Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square tragedy, correspondents examine the Chinese government's ongoing suppression of this pivotal moment. They share harrowing accounts from witnesses and discuss the enduring legacy of the protests in shaping political expression today. The podcast also dives into the challenges faced by immigrants regarding language acquisition and cultural integration, advocating for supportive policies and questioning the effectiveness of language laws. Additionally, it calls for gender quotas to improve female representation in corporate leadership.
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Night at the Beijing Hotel
- On June 3rd, Simon Long was at the Beijing Hotel near Tiananmen Square, witnessing rising panic and tracer fire.
- Despite being a radio journalist needing to report, his night ended there, observing the events from the balcony.
Witnessing the Bloodbath
- James Miles witnessed the army's entrance into Beijing, encountering and firing upon residents at roadblocks.
- He, like other journalists, saw this as a massacre, but the events on the square itself remained a mystery.
Exploiting Uncertainty
- The uncertainty of the events in Tiananmen Square was exploited by the Communist Party to control the narrative.
- They emphasized the massacre, which happened in Beijing but not in the square, to create confusion.