Posted on 03/14/2016 3:30:20 PM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
TAIPEI (AFP) - A former leader of the Tiananmen Square protests in China has lashed out at US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, whom he dubbed a "privileged comeback king", and warned America is at risk of abandoning its cherished freedoms.
Wu'er Kaixi said he was speaking on behalf of Chinese democracy dissidents everywhere in condemning the provocative property magnate, who was criticised last week after describing the 1989 demonstration in Beijing as a "riot".
"Speaking personally, after 27 years in exile from that 'riot'... I think I can speak for all fellow exiled and imprisoned Chinese in condemning Trump," Wu'er wrote in a commentary posted on his official Facebook page.
"I am not alone in appealing to the very same Americans who offered Chinese such as myself refuge when our own government deserted us to put aside partisan disputes and unite against Trump," the activist said.
In a televised exchange, Republican frontrunner Trump was quizzed about his 1990 comments on the student-led protests and subsequent government crackdown that costs hundreds, possibly thousands, of lives, in which he referred to "the power of strength".
Speaking on CNN, Trump insisted he was not endorsing the Chinese Communist Party's brutal response, which saw the military brought in to crush the protests.
"I said that is a strong, powerful government that put it down with strength," he said.
"And then they kept down the riot. It was a horrible thing. It doesn't mean at all I was endorsing it."
Wu'er lived in the US after fleeing China in the aftermath of the protests, but has resided in Taiwan for the past two decades.
He has tried to return to China on several occasions, but has been denied entry each time.
The Communist Party today under President Xi Jinping continues to block any activists advocating democratic reforms, and has tightened its grip on the media.
"Politically, in China, nothing has changed - if anything it has become worse in recent years," Wu'er said.
"Trump, a privileged comeback king from a litany of failed fast-buck business scams, is an enemy of the values that America deeply defines itself by: the same values that have long provided hope to the victims of oppressive power worldwide.
"Those of us who have fought for freedom anywhere in the world worry that something is about to change in America."
© 2016 AFP
bro, why are you stuck on the word riot?
wtf does that have to do with him supporting the crushing of peaceful revolution.
What are you talking about?
riot? are you crazy?
AIT, what the #### does it matter. He supported the crushing of a revolutionary movement against a brutal regime.
Whether he used riot or not is so immaterial i’m surprised you feel the need to defend it.
You shouldn’t.
i’m voting for trump, but his statement was bad. and wrong.
in fact if he Didn’t use the word riot that’s WORSE.
what was the reason for crushing something that wasn’t a riot?
lawyers have their place in life, unfortunately for us “low information voters”, public office is the last place they should found
Washington Post “put it down with strength”!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/03/11/trump-just-called-tiananmen-square-a-riot-the-communist-party-will-be-pleased/
” TAPPER: Mr. Trump, some of your Republican critics have expressed concern about comments you have made praising authoritarian dictators. You have said positive things about Putin as a leader, and about China’s massacre of pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square, you’ve said: “When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it, then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength.”
How do you respond?
TRUMP: That doesn’t mean I was endorsing that. I was not endorsing it. I said that is a strong, powerful government that put it down with strength. And then they kept down the riot. It was a horrible thing. It doesn’t mean at all I was endorsing it.”
the Chinese govt almost blew it?
in what way. Giving freedom to people.
it doesn’t change my vote but you can paint this thing 50 colors, he was wrong.
Thank you for the link. I could not seem to locate any correct reference to this statement and the links I saw from the debate were very different from this statement, and that is interesting to say the least.
He should apologize for using the term.
No, he started with one million that he borrowed from his dad.
He and his sibs inherited 200 million when his dad died many years later which they split between them.
So you can move on from a stupid statement from Trump but you can’t move on from a correct statement from Cruz just because he didn’t phrase it as you would have liked. I think you just got caught up in the faux outrage here and need to rethink your position before you vote. (Spoken in love to keep you from making a tragic mistake).
Have no idea how ‘they almost blew it’.
Would never try to change your vote!!! Just his words.
Take care.........pilgrim
OK, here it is: “TAPPER: Mr. Trump, some of your Republican critics have expressed concern about comments you have made praising authoritarian dictators. You have said positive things about Putin as a leader and about China’s massacre of pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square, you’ve said: “When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it, then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength.”
How do you respond...
TRUMP: That doesn’t mean I was endorsing that. I was not endorsing it. I said that is a strong, powerful government that put it down with strength. And then they kept down the riot. It was a horrible thing. It doesn’t mean at all I was endorsing it.
Nothing wrong with criticizing Trump's usage of the word "riot".
I would very much like Trump to elaborate that "riot" was the wrong word, that he denounces the crackdown, and that he is on the side of individual rights and freedom in China.
You are a noble Freeper. !!
Thanks for the info .
yep, because we all know that that is what Reagan would have done...
if that’s true, then what he accomplished is insane.
I forgot what we were talking about lol!
i’m shot.
Pilgrim, who are you voting for? don’t have to tell me here. can send private.
I just forget :) brain damage and all.
and I respect everyone’s right to choose whomever the choose.
and there are few who would care if I didn’t :)
I know he was right about certain NY values, but that’s my home man.
I know to many it has nothing to do with his statement, but I lost buddies to 9/11. Their values were to go into a crumbling building then work in a pit and die of cancer.
Even the liberal morons that I worked with, and who I argued with constantly. When I got the head injury, money and gifts and gift certificates and cards poured in. The concern was real and they told me they always respected that I didn’t back down from my beliefs because I was alone.
They would RUIN our country if they had the chance, but not all their values are bad.
HE kinda lost me then.
What you are speaking about are American values. People from all over the country came there to help. We all realized that if the muzzies could, they would do that to all of us. Everywhere. I’m touched that you had the support you had, and so very sorry you lost friends.
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