Source C

Peter Calvocoressi, a history author, writing in a general book on world history, World Politics, 1945–2000 (2009)

In 1989 Hu Yaobang [Hu Yao-pang] died. His funeral was made the occasion for massive demonstrations in which students from Beijing’s universities were especially prominent, voicing protests against the slow pace of change, economic failure and persistent corruption. They were joined by discontented intellectuals and by workers, and suddenly they were making a big impact not only in the capital but also in some 80 other cities all over China. They posed a threat, not necessarily to the Communist Party, but to its elderly ruling clique [elite]. To Deng [Teng], however, and to others of his generation these two threats were indistinguishable and amounted also to a threat to China itself. Deng equated the Party with the revolution it had made, and the revolution with China. Anybody who opposed the Party was therefore a traitor to his country. Zhao Ziyang [Chao Tzu-yang] … took a sympathetic and apologetic line but behind the scenes his more conservative adversaries [rivals] persuaded Deng to their side.

Source D

An article entitled “We must unequivocally [decisively] oppose unrest”, published in an official Chinese newspaper, People’s Daily (26 April 1989).

In the mourning activities commemorating the death of Hu Yaobang [Hu Yao-pang], vast numbers of … workers, peasants, intellectuals, People’s Liberation Army soldiers and young students expressed their grief in many forms … The Party and the government adopted a tolerant and restrained attitude toward some of the inappropriate words and deeds of those young students who acted in moments of emotional distress … But a tiny handful of people continued to take advantage of the grief of the students …

This tiny handful of people are not really engaged in mourning Comrade Hu Yaobang. Their goal is not to promote socialist democracy in China nor are they simply complaining because they are dissatisfied. They are waving the flag of democracy to destroy democracy and law and order …

Therefore the Party and the people should unite and oppose this turmoil in order to defend our hardearned political harmony and unity, to protect the constitution, and to defend socialist democracy and law and order.