Today is the anniversary of the June 4 incident. The Sunday Young Post spoke to university students in Hong Kong and the mainland to find out what undergraduates think about the events of 1989.
We found students' knowledge of the facts was a little hazy. That wasn't a big surprise - today's students were in nappies in 1989. But we were surprised by the difference in their attitudes towards the military crackdown.
Penny Pang, a 19-year-old student at Lingnan University, is like many Hong Kong students. She has a vague idea about June 4. "I think it has something to do with the mainland policies then. I think someone was imprisoned and people took to the streets to demand his release."
And across the border in Shanghai, Fudan University student Sarah Dai's version of events is also a little foggy.
"Maybe the students at the time were unsatisfied with society. The government then suppressed the demonstrations," said Sarah.
The big difference between Hong Kong and mainland students is their attitude towards the crackdown.
Jack Ge, a Fudan University student, sides with the government's use of force because he sees the end as justifying the means.
"Compared to the chaos in the former Soviet states, China has been in steady development since the incident.
"The government used force, but students also over-reacted. If the government can apologise for the violence, of course this will signal democratic progress. But if not, I'm still with the government," said Jack.
Students in Shanghai have doubts about whether Hongkongers should hold a candlelit vigil and protest June 4.
Jia Yun, who studies at Shanghai International Studies University, said: "I don't agree with the Hong Kong people's practice. I believe [the crackdown] was the best thing the government could do then, and it was right. Otherwise, the whole of society would be in a mess."
The candlelit vigil will be held at 8pm tonight in Victoria Park. Penny encourages teenagers to attend. "China has been criticising Japan for rewriting history in textbooks. But if we don't face up to our own history, we will be doing the same."
Anna Chan Wah, a 21-year-old student at the University of Hong Kong, will be at the vigil with her younger brother.
"Hong Kong is the only place in China where people can openly commemorate the incident. We should treasure this environment. We should not let the incident fade just because it happened a long time ago," she said.
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