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SCMP Reporter

April 15 Death of Hu Yaobang
April 15-17 Protests begin
April 18 Students issue petition to National People's Congress mourning Hu's death and calling for reforms and greater openness
April 20 At Politburo meeting, premier Li Peng states movement instigated by 'small group of people'. Workers come out in support of students
April 21 Intellectuals join demonstrations
April 22 Hu's funeral
April 24 Students start mass boycott of classes
April 26 People's Daily editorial labels movement anti-party, anti-socialist upheaval
April 27 Demonstrations grow in size
April 29 At Politburo meeting, party chief Zhao Ziyang makes suggestions to address official corruption in response to discontent. Li opposes them
May 4 70th anniversary of May 4th Movement
May 11 Zhao advocates acceding to demands
May 13 Hunger strike starts
May 14 Meeting between government officials and student representatives breaks down
May 15 Mikhail Gorbachev visits Beijing
May 17 More than one million people march in capital
May 19 Zhao visits square, says tearfully: 'We have come too late. We deserve your criticism'
May 20 Martial law takes effect at 10am
May 21 More than one million people defy martial law and stop soldiers entering central Beijing; another million people march in Hong Kong
May 23 Mao portrait defaced
May 28 Bao Tong, Zhao?s former aide, arrested in one of first of numerous arrests; 1.5 million Hongkongers join World Chinese March
May 29 Goddess of Democracy erected 
June 3 Violent confrontations begin
June 4
1am Troops block off approaches to Tiananmen Square
2am First troop transport trucks enter square. Protest leaders call on those remaining in square to gather around Monument to People's Heroes
3am Leaders negotiate with army officials to give students time to vacate square
4am Lights go off in square and Goddess of Democracy toppled by tank
4.30am Tanks and troops in north corner of square start moving forward. Students vote and agree to leave. Students walk toward southeast of square. Armoured vehicles move toward monument. Other troops arrive from west, squeezing crowd
5am As students leave square, residents line streets and applaud. Army opens fire on students and citizens near square and in other areas of the capital. Some crushed under tanks. Number of victims unknown
SOURCE: HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA




Chronology of events