June 4 marks the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre . Sophie Richardson : When will China 's leaders stop whitewashing the event ? She says Beijing 's tactics of suppression and crackdown breed discontent . The U.S. has been trying to get a handle on China's growing military power for years, but it is still unclear how much influence Washington can exert over Beijing. Not a week goes by without hundreds of protests over land or housing issues in rural areas , and environmental or infrastructure projects in major urban areas . Brave Chinese activists are still trying to defend human rights .
June 4 marks the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre . Sophie Richardson : When will China 's leaders stop whitewashing the event ? She says Beijing 's tactics of suppression and crackdown breed discontent . The U.S. has been trying to get a handle on China's growing military power for years, but it is still unclear how much influence Washington can exert over Beijing. Brave Chinese activists are still trying to defend human rights .