China cracks down on activists, journalists on Tiananmen anniversary

• A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

China on Thursday sent hundreds of police to Beijing's vast Tiananmen Square to prevent disturbances, on the 20th anniversary of a military crackdown that killed hundreds – possibly thousands – of protesters.

Beijing also lashed out at the US after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged China to "examine openly" the events of June 3 and 4, 1989. Her appeal was echoed by the president of Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China claims as its own.

Ms. Clinton and others have used the anniversary to criticize China for neglecting political reforms – a key demand of the 1989 protesters – even while steaming ahead with economic reforms. (See a cartoon on the subject here.)

Agence France-Presse reports that the heart of Beijing was in virtual lockdown as hundreds of uniformed and plainclothes police officers enforced order.

Police officers searched bags and even the pockets of thousands of Chinese and foreign tourists streaming through checkpoints to visit the giant plaza, and foreign journalists were barred from entering.

"There are far more police than normal days," said a 35-year-old Chinese man who said he frequently visits the square. "It's because of June 4. It's pretty scary having so much police. There are a lot of plainclothes officers too."

The Associated Press reports that police barred foreign journalists from the square, and threatened some with violence.

Security officials checking passports also blocked foreign TV camera operators and photographers from entering to cover the raising of China's national flag, which happens at dawn every day. Plainclothed officers aggressively confronted journalists on the streets surrounding the square, cursing and threatening violence against them.

The BBC reports that China issued a strong rebuke to Clinton's remarks.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Mrs Clinton said Beijing needed to "provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal".

China expressed its "strong dissatisfaction" with her comments.

"The US remarks are groundless accusations against the Chinese government and in contravention of the fundamental norms governing international relations, as well as a gross interference in China's internal affairs," said foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang.

"We urge the US to put aside its political prejudices and correct its mistakes so as to refrain from undermining bilateral relations. "On the political incident that took place in the 1980s, the party and the government have already reached a conclusion," he said.

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