Yet another anniversary of the bloody 1989 Tiananmen crackdown passed off rather peacefully, without a major hitch or signs of much headway having been made in the quest for a review of the official verdict on one of modern China's most tragic events.
Even though mounting public appeals for vindication of the Tiananmen pro-democracy movement went largely unheard, some mainland scholars remain hopeful, saying they have seen growing signs that the once-monolithic Communist Party has begun to loosen its formidable grip, whether intentionally or not, on the politically sensitive issue.
Citing a slew of recent rumours and reports regarding liberal-leaning remarks by senior party officials, including state leaders, the scholars argue that calls for a reassessment of the June 4 incident appear to be growing within the ruling party as the country prepares for a once-in-a-decade leadership transition this autumn. The party's official verdict labelled the events counter-revolutionary turmoil.
While Premier Wen Jiabao is rumoured to have voiced support in the past for a reassessment, there has been recent on overseas websites that Vice-President Xi Jinping , who is expected to be the next president, may be inclined to revisit Beijing's stance on the military crackdown once he consolidates his grip on power.
In the run-up to this year's anniversary, both liberal economist Mao Yushi and Wang Juntao , a former leader of the pro-democracy movement who is in exile in the United States, said that the hardline opposition to a vindication of the movement, until now dominant, appeared to have been diluted by rumoured dissent in the top party leadership.
Rumours aside, Dai Qing , a veteran journalist and writer, noted that a growing number of retired leaders had tried to vindicate their roles in the deadly crushing of the student-led protests 23 years ago.