The House Select Committee on China held a press conference in Washington, D.C., to mark the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. The event focused on honoring the bravery of dissidents and pro-democracy advocates in China.
Speakers at the event shared a common message: standing up for freedom against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Chairman Moolenaar emphasized, "For 76 years, the CCP’s greatest victims have been the Chinese people themselves, millions dead, millions more living under fear, censorship, and repression. Even the act of remembering Tiananmen is illegal in China today."
The press conference featured a bipartisan group including Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Young Kim (R-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Jill Tokuda (D-HI). Chinese dissidents Wang Dan and Wei Jingsheng also addressed attendees.
Chairman Moolenaar highlighted the U.S. as an example of freedom and democracy—values opposed by the CCP. He took action by delivering a letter urging Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to terminate the city's sister-city relationship with Beijing. The letter states, "In Washington D.C., our citizens enjoy freedom of speech, petition, and assembly. In Beijing, under the CCP’s rule, the Chinese people have no such rights."
The letter was signed by several speakers from the event including Chairman Moolenaar, CECC Co-Chair Smith, Representatives Bilirakis, Kim, Newhouse, Nunn as well as Representatives Andy Barr (R-KY), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), and Rob Wittman (R-VA).
