Emotional press conference hears testimony of athlete Fang Zheng whose legs were crushed by Chinese army tank during crackdown of June 4, 1989

Pictured: (In wheelchair) Mr. Fang Zheng, (right) Ms. Grace Wang, Translator, (background) Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey.

(Washington, D.C. May18, 2009) — Mr. Fang Zheng, a victim of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre and world class athlete gave an emotional recount of his ordeal on the morning of June 4, 1989 as Chinese tanks and soldiers plowed through Tiananmen Square indiscriminately killing and injuring thousands of peaceful demonstrators, most of them students like Mr. Fang. Fang legs were mangled under a Chinese tank as he pushed a fellow student to safety “What kind of government would tell people in tanks to run over their own citizens?” Mr. Fang asked.

Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, spoke passionately about the ongoing repression of the Chinese government. “China’s human rights record is getting worse not better. Our silence enables their behavior” said Mr. Smith.

Hudson Senior Fellow and former Reagan Administration official, Mr. Michael Horowitz, spoke of his confidence that democracy will come to China “sooner rather than later because of brave patriots like Mr Fang and Dr. Yang.” He said a major step toward democratization is to break the firewalls that the Chinese government has erected to keep truth and freedom of expression from the Chinese people. “These firewalls are the Berlin Walls of the 21st Century. Once they are torn down, freedom will pour into China” said Mr. Horowitz.

Dr. Yang Jianli, Tiananmen Survivor and Former Political Prisoner, Calls for Action Initiatives for China president and also a survivor of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Dr. Yang Jianli, echoed the calls for action. “It is up to the Chinese people to drive democratic reforms, but the moral and political support of the American government is vital” said Dr. Yang. He said that he was delighted that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, outspoken supporter of human rights, would be traveling to China around the time of the 20th Anniversary of Taiananmen Square Crackdown. “I urge Speaker Pelosi to take concrete actions to show the Chinese government that advancement of human rights in China is critical to the development of America’s relationship with China”. Dr. Yang went on to recommend specific actions for Speaker Pelosi to take on her trip including a meeting with the Mothers of Tiananmen, a group of mothers whose children were killed, wounded, or imprisioned as a result of their presence in Tianamen Square on the morning of June 4, 1989. “This would be a great signal to the Chinese government as it has never acknowedeged that the Tiananmen massacre ever occured” said Dr. Yang.