Rubio says China cannot erase memories of Tiananmen Square crackdown

Beijing's censorship cannot erase memories of its 1989 military assault on peaceful demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, U.S. Secretary of State Marco

Rubio said on Wednesday, ahead of the anniversary of China's violent suppression there.



Rubio's statement largely mirrored his past remarks on the crackdown but is likely to be reassuring to Chinese dissidents and pro-democracy supporters at a time when President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted his relationship with China's leader, Xi Jinping, whom he met in Beijing last month.



According to human rights groups, Chinese troops opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square and killed hundreds if not thousands of people.



"On June 4, the world marks 37 years since the Chinese Communist Party ordered its troops to attack thousands of peaceful demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square," Rubio said in a statement.