NEW DELHI: For years, the narrative about the Tiananmen incident in China’s capital Beijing in June 1989 has focused mostly on how the Chinese authorities suppressed a pro-democracy uprising by students. But in a remarkably candid—even controversial—take, Ambassador Vijay Gokhale, China specialist and India’s former Foreign Secretary, provides a nuanced and deeper insight into the circumstances leading to the events of Tiananmen Square in April, May and June 1989. It is a must-read book not only for all Indians who want to understand their biggest neighbour but also for those who want to research China. The book—Tiananmen Square: The Making of a Protest, A diplomat looks back—gives a detailed account of inner party struggles at the highest levels in the Communist Party of China (CPC) of that time. It busts the myth about the CPC being a monolith. For that alone, this is mandatory reading for students of contemporary China. Here’s Vijay Gokhale in conversation with StratNews Global Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale.
