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Many of the expressions in the papers are colloquial to Hong Kong and Taiwan and would have meant nothing to the elderly Chinese leaders. You can read extracts of the Tiananmen Papers at the BBC.
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THE BOOK was co-edited by Andrew Nathan, a professor of political science at Columbia University, and Perry Link,
a professor of Chinese language and literature at Princeton University. Also assisting was noted sinologist
Orville Schell, dean of the journalism school at the University of California-Berkeley and author of many books on China.
It was published by Public Affairs Press, headed by Peter Osnos. All are
directors of the swanky Human Rights Watch group which is heavily supported by member George Soros and other luminaries.
Zhang Liang, who lives outside China, claims to be a former Communist Party member sympathetic to reformers. Much has been made in the world press about how the timing of the released documents may be related to the upcoming leadership succession in China in 2002 and 2003. The reasoning is that reform-minded officials within the ruling Communist Party are trying to influence the selection of the next Chinese president. Essentially, it is hoped the book will embarrass Jiang Zemin and Li Peng who are directly linked in the papers to the decision to use force against the Tiananmen Square protesters. BUT ARE THE TIANANMEN PAPERS REAL? Professor Orville Schell claimed initial skepticism but says he now believes the documents are indeed genuine. It is important to note that Orville Schell has written condemnations of the Chinese government reaction to the Tiananmen demonstrations as far back as July 1989. Peter Osnos, publisher of the book, believes Zhang Liang was sent by reformers in China "with material to find a way to make it available." Venerated Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew said he believed the papers are genuine, adding "They are too detailed and too extensive. You can't have a team drawing these up." Lee Kuan Yew's comments were made in an interview at the January 2001 meeting of the self-styled World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland. Whether the Tiananmen Papers were discussed at the convention is unknown. But since 1979, the WEF has been a major promoter for integration of the giant Chinese economy and market into global business. Indeed on its web site, the WEF takes credit for "a substantial impact on the economic reform policies of China." THE AUTHENTICITY of the Tiananmen Papers has been questioned. Xie Xuanjun, a prominent Chinese filmmaker (now living in New York) has expressed doubts about the papers. Principally he argues that there is nothing in the so-called secret documents that is not already known from published materials. Xie Xuanjun says that many of the expressions in the papers are colloquial to Hong Kong and Taiwan and would have meant nothing to the elderly Chinese leaders. Lastly, Xie points out that there is little evidence of original documents since the book contains only edited and translated materials and the documents themselves were copied onto computer diskettes. He compared the Tiananmen Papers to the infamous "Hitler Diaries" that were proven a forgery several years ago. The claim that there is nothing in the Tiananmen Papers that is not already known does stand to reason since many books on China published since the Tiananmen uprising have recounted most of the details described in the Tiananmen Papers. As just one example, it is well documented that there was a deep division in the Chinese leadership over how best to deal with the protest movement. It has even been suggested that the documents are nothing more than previously declassified intelligence from within the American or British governments. The fact that the former USA Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research during the Tiananmen uprising, Morton Abramowitz, is an advisory committee member of Human Rights Watch, does point to this possibility. WHETHER REAL OR FAKE, for what purpose have the Tiananmen Papers been produced? Is it a veiled attempt to manipulate the first peaceful transition of power in modern Chinese history? Or a propaganda salvo in a new Cold War with Communist China? One can only hope that the high profile foundations that brought the Tiananmen Papers forth are true to their lofty purposes and will help put to rest a dark moment in China's tumultuous People's Republic. ©Sinomania!, 2002. All rights
reserved.
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