In a statement, Rubio said: “On June 4, the world marks 37 years since the Chinese Communist Party ordered its troops to attack thousands of peaceful demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square.”

He further added that Chinese students, workers, and other civilians who lost their lives had gathered to exercise their fundamental rights and demand democratic reforms and accountability for corruption.

Their sacrifice, he said, would not be forgotten.

“No amount of censorship can erase the past. Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday,” he added, in a message directed at China.

What is the Tiananmen Square Massacre?

According to Amnesty International, on June 4, 1989, Chinese troops opened fire on students, workers, and other civilians who were peacefully protesting for political reform in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

The demonstrations began in April 1989 and called for an end to corruption, greater political accountability, and expanded civil liberties, including freedom of expression and assembly.

Protesters gathered in large numbers, taking part in marches, sit-ins, and hunger strikes, largely in a peaceful manner.

In response, soldiers advanced into the city using live ammunition and armoured vehicles, firing on unarmed crowds. Hundreds—possibly thousands—of people were killed, including students, workers, children, and elderly citizens, while many more were injured in the crackdown, according to Amnesty International.