Former student leader Wu'er Kaixi was joined by lawmakers at Taiwan's legislature on Friday to mark the June 4, 1989, military assault that left hundreds, possibly thousands, dead.
Taiwan's democratic politics and open society have long served as a counterpoint to China's authoritarian one-party system, which permits no discussion of the crackdown or memorials for the victims.
"We are facing a nasty and brutal China."
Wu'er fled China after the crackdown, in which he was named the second most wanted among the student leaders. Unable to return home, he married a Taiwanese woman and settled on the island in 1996. Earlier this year he ran an unsuccessful campaign for a seat in the legislature.
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At least half a dozen people have reportedly been detained for attempting to commemorate the events, although a small group wearing T-shirts condemning the crackdown converged on the square on Sunday, among them former house painter Qi Zhiyong, who had both of his legs amputated after being shot by martial law troops early on June 4, 1989.
Asked about the anniversary, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China had "long ago reached a clear conclusion about the political turmoil at the end of 1980s and other related issues."
Another former student leader, Wang Dan, told a commemorative event in Tokyo that China's post-crackdown development proves it isn't true that economic growth will eventually lead to democracy.