Taiwan: President Ma Praises China ... On Tiananmen Anniversary

I'm not even going to start. Dignified Rant has the post and the link. Of course, the news "story" is by the AP, aka "Asinine Publication."

Here is a blurb:

Taiwan's new leader used the 19th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown to praise rival China on Wednesday, breaking with his previous policy of marking the date with condemnations of Beijing's human rights record.

"China has made certain progress since it started to open up and reform 30 years ago," President Ma Ying-jeou said in a statement.

. . . In the past, Ma has been scathing on the Tiananmen issue, saying China's failure to offer a full accounting of why hundreds, if not thousands, of pro-democracy protesters were killed by Chinese troops on June 3-4, 1989, is a major impediment to improved relations between Taiwan and the mainland.

The crackdown followed weeks of demonstrations that involved tens of thousands of students and other democracy proponents. The protests started in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and spread to several major cities.

Last year on the Tiananmen anniversary, Ma criticized China for putting off democratization and continuing to suppress press freedom and human rights.

Still, Ma said Wednesday he remained concerned about the implications of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown on the ability of "mainland compatriots (to) enjoy a life of freedom and democracy.

Pffffft.

You want to talk about China's "progress"? Fine. China has changed in various ways, though frankly I don't buy the hoopla and shiny propaganda about how it's not an autocratic one-party state. But anyway -- you want to talk about changes, fine, fine. But let's talk about context and timing. Using the anniversary of a brutal massacre to praise Beijing? You've got to be kidding me. I wonder how all the friends and relatives of the Tiananmen victims felt, listening to Ma's little statement.

View From Taiwan is likewise critical, saying this is "Ma toadying up to Beijing." I'm beginning to think that Ma is a total disaster.

Perhaps you will spare a thought for Tiananmen, a subject that is taboo in mainland China while around the world it's a symbol of Beijing's brutality.