Chinese authorities have increased security in the country in the run up to the 25th anniversary, on June 4, of the pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. <br /><br />Recent weeks have been marked by detentions, a notable increase in the number of police on the streets of Beijing and tighter controls on the internet. Google and several other websites have seen their services affected.<br /><br />“In China, there are only lawbreakers, there are no dissidents. Each Chinese government department acts in accordance with the law,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.<br /><br />The anniversary of the 1989 protests has never been publicly marked on mainland China. Termed “counter revolutionary” by the ruling Communist Party, they remain a taboo subject.<br /><br />The death toll for the crackdown is still unknown. Human right’s groups and witnesses have said that the figure is between several hundred and several thousand.<br /><br />Commemorations have been held every year in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
