U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on the 3rd. [Yonhap News]

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, issued a statement condemning the Chinese Communist Party's censorship, stating that no censorship can erase the truth of the past, one day before the 37th anniversary of the violent crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in China.

In a statement titled "37th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre," Secretary Rubio recalled, "The world remembers June 4th as the day that marks 37 years since the Chinese Communist Party ordered its military to attack thousands of peaceful protestors in and around Tiananmen Square." He added, "The Chinese students, workers, and citizens who lost their lives had gathered to exercise their God-given human rights and demand democratic reforms and accountability for corruption."

"We remember their lives and honor their legacy," he emphasized. "No amount of censorship can erase the past."

He further stated, "The righteousness of those who sacrificed to defend the inalienable rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly will someday be proven."

However, AFP news agency noted that Secretary Rubio's statement came less than three weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump held a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in mid-May.

At the summit, President Trump agreed to an unstable "trade truce" with President Xi, and the conflict between the two countries has calmed compared to last year.

Reuters news agency analyzed that while Secretary Rubio's statement followed the annual tradition of U.S. Secretaries of State and reiterated his past remarks on the Tiananmen incident, it is highly likely to have the effect of reassuring Chinese dissidents and democracy supporters.

As a federal senator, Secretary Rubio had advocated for a tough stance against China and had been placed on the Chinese authorities' sanctions list.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement criticizing the U.S., similar to last year.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a briefing on the 4th, "The U.S.'s erroneous remarks distorted historical facts, slandered China's political system and development path, and interfered in China's internal affairs. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition."

Mao continued, "The Chinese government has long ago made a clear conclusion regarding the political turmoil that occurred in the late 1980s. The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people, and it has the sincere support of the entire Chinese people and the full recognition of the international community."

He urged, "We call on the U.S. to honor its commitment to respecting China and the Chinese people with concrete actions, cease promoting ideological confrontation, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of so-called 'democracy and human rights.'"

In China, any mention of the June 4th Tiananmen incident in 1989 is a taboo. In Hong Kong, where large-scale Tiananmen memorial events were once held, major candlelight vigils have disappeared due to government restrictions.

Consequently, memorial gatherings for the Tiananmen victims are being held primarily in cities like London, New York, Berlin, and Taipei. In Washington D.C., U.S. federal lawmakers are scheduled to deliver statements, hold hearings, and conduct press conferences on the 4th.

Beijing Tiananmen Square [Yonhap News file photo]