Meetings, forums and seminars are planned to lead up to the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Beijing will probably refuse visas to “counterrevolutionaries” involved in the 1989 event.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) – In Hong Kong a pro-democracy group is planning to invite exiled Chinese dissidents for seminars in the lead-up to the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong are likely however to block the move.

Albert Ho Chun-yan, secretary general of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, said that his group is planning a number of forums and seminars this year to commemorate the June 4 crackdown, and is considering inviting overseas academics, including exiled former students, to share their experiences. However, the possibility of them being allowed into Hong Kong was small, he said.

On National Day last year, Wang Dan, Wang Juntao and Chen Yizi, three important pro-democracy advocates in 1989, called on the public to join them in pushing for political reform, a free press and the establishment of a constitutional and democratic system.

Also last year, Wang Dan was refused a visa for a trip to Hong Kong that would have taken place in July, just before the Olympics.

This year China’s leaders are extremely concerned by possible social unrest and the upcoming 20th anniversary of Tiananmen. It is likely that Beijing will veto any visa for “counterrevolutionaries” who peacefully tried to bring down the social order, according to the Communist party.

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• juntao
• chen
• yizi