Washington—To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released the following statement:

“It has been 25 years since hundreds—perhaps even thousands—of demonstrators were killed in Tiananmen Square while peacefully advocating for a voice in how they are governed. I know of no other country that has made as much economic and industrial progress in the last 25 years than China. But what this anniversary reminds us is that progress still must be made in the areas of human rights, rule of law and governance. To honor those who lost their lives in Tiananmen Square and those who carry that legacy today, we have a responsibility to call attention to China’s record.

“The U.S.-China bilateral relationship is among the most important in the 21st century and is understandably focused on political, economic and security issues. I urge the Obama administration to continue this important engagement, but also to regularly and vigorously press the Chinese on human rights and democratic reforms. Denying individuals the right to speak, to protest or to vote is not acceptable in today’s world, just as it wasn’t acceptable in 1989.”

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