CWU To Host Prominent Speaker On China's Political Reform

April 29, 2005

Contact: Chenyang Li (509-963-1817/fax: 963-1822/e-mail: lic@cwu.edu)

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - June 4 will mark the 16th anniversary of the Tiananamen Square massacre, when a government crackdown led to the widespread bloodshed of students in China, who were protesting for more freedom and Western-style democracy.

Wu Guoguang was an advisor to Zhao Ziyang, the secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in the weeks leading up to Tiananamen Square. Zhao was removed from that post for failing to suppress the students just days before the massacre.

Dr. Wu, who now teaches Asian politics at the University of Victoria, says it would be a different, healthier China today had Zhao been allowed to stay in power and continue his push for democratic reforms.

Wu will discuss "China's Political Initiatives: Retrospect and Prospect," during a free, public presentation in the Central Washington University Mary Grupe Center on Monday, May 2, at 3 p.m.

Wu's CWU presentation is sponsored by the CWU philosophy and political science departments, Asia and pacific studies program, college of arts and humanities, William O. Douglas Honors College and diversity education center.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-1818, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.