Last night, when I finished my work and went home, I turned on the TV. What I saw sent a cold shiver down my spine. Tanks once again rolled through Tiananmen Square, soldiers in sharp red-army uniforms marching in perfect formation. It was a grand show of power for China’s 80th anniversary of military victory over Japan, but for me, it opened a wound that has never truly healed.
Thirty-six years ago, those same colours and tanks filled Tiananmen Square. But then, they were not part of a celebration – they were used to crush thousands of young students who were calling for democracy and freedom. I was one of those students, a leader in the square. I still carry the scars, not only on my body but deep in my soul. Two of my closest friends died in my arms that night. Their faces have never left me. The world may see parades and fireworks, but when I see tanks in Tiananmen I remember the gunfire, the screams, the blood and the silence that followed.
For me, the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 is not history, it’s memory.Credit: AP
In the aftermath, Australia extended a hand of humanity. Then-prime minister Bob Hawke showed moral courage when he opened the door for almost 42,000 Chinese students to remain here, giving them life, freedom and a future. I was one of those lucky ones. That is why I now proudly call Australia my home. This country gave me safety and dignity, and in return, I have tried to give back with all my heart.
It is through this lens that I watched with horror as former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews prostituted himself to gain the friendship of some of the world’s most notorious dictators. There he was, standing in the same square where my friends were murdered, shoulder to shoulder with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, while China rolled out its military hardware for the world to see. It made my blood boil.
This was not just a parade. It was a calculated display of authoritarian power. Beijing wanted to send a message: that China is strong, united and supported internationally. And when former Australian leaders agree to be part of that spectacle, whether they realise it or not, they become tools of propaganda. Their presence legitimises a regime that silences dissent, imprisons minorities and threatens democratic nations in our region.
On Wednesday, we again saw another grand show of power by the Chinese Communist Party.Credit: Bloomberg
Some say Andrews and former NSW premier Bob Carr went to China in a private capacity and that personal choices should not be judged politically. I cannot agree. When you have held the office of premier of an Australian state, you do not get to simply “be private” when standing in Tiananmen Square next to dictators. You carry with you the weight of our democratic values. To lend your presence to that parade is to betray the spirit of those who lost their lives in 1989 and to insult the communities in Australia who still suffer under the consequences of authoritarian regimes – Ukrainians, Taiwanese, Hong Kongese, Tibetans and many more.
I speak not only as a survivor of Tiananmen but also as an Australian who believes deeply in freedom. We are a lucky country, but we are not immune to global pressures. China is our largest trading partner, and many argue that we must tread carefully. But economic ties should never blind us to moral truth. Trade cannot erase history. Business cannot cover bloodstains.
What disturbs me most is not just the images from Beijing, but the silence that follows. Where is the outrage from our leaders? Why is it left to communities and ordinary Australians to speak the truth? When Premier Jacinta Allan praised Andrews as being “highly regarded by the Chinese”, she forgot that respect from dictators is not an honour – it is a warning sign.
