Tiananmen Square - 1989 revisited - part 10

The tenth part in a PBS piece published in 2001 by Andrew J. Nathan and Perry Link:

May 13

Anticipating Soviet Party Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev's visit, about 160 students begin a hunger strike in Tiananmen Square, citing the government's failure to respond to their requests for dialogue. One of the printed manifestos reads: "The nation is in crisis -- beset by rampant inflation, illegal dealing by profiteering officials, abuses of power, corrupt bureaucrats, the flight of good people to other countries and deterioration of law and order. Compatriots, fellow countrymen who cherish morality, please hear our voices!"

Their hunger strike draws broad public support; many important intellectuals pledge their help. "There's such a feeling in China about food because of the thousands of years of famines that they've had," explains Jan Wong. "… So when the students went on their hunger strike, it really moved people to tears."

Tim White