Tiananmen: Vietnam’s Newspapers Criticize Crackdown

Vietnam news media shocked readers by covering the anniversary of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and deploring the harsh crackdown on protesters. In the past, Vietnamese news media avoided such topics. Like China, Vietnam is a communist government. This year’s coverage reflected recent tense relations between China and Vietnam. The two nations are engaged in bitter quarrel over islands, reefs and atolls in the South China Sea. Tensions peaked after the Chinese towed a giant oil drilling rig into the disputed waters; vessels from both nations have been in a stand-off and that led to the sinking of a small Vietnamese fishing boat. In turn, Chinese businesses and citizens in Vietnam have become the target of violent riots and protests, with four deaths reported. Vietnam relies on China for trade, and conservatives worry about antagonizing the huge neighbor. Most of the Tiananmen Square news was pulled offline within a few hours. – YaleGlobal