Hong Kong needs to take lessons in Chinese history, so past mistakes are not repeated

I am writing in response to the letter from Alan Crawley, “Teach Hong Kong children all aspects of Chinese history, even Cultural Revolution excesses” (September 15).

It is well known that many policy mistakes had been made by the Communist Party of China decades ago, including the Cultural Revolution mentioned by Mr Crawley and the June 4 incident. These were events set in motion by the Communist Party. If Chairman Mao Zedong hadn’t unleashed the attacks on teachers and intellectuals, there would not have been economic and educational retrogression in China. If the military force hadn’t brought out tanks to quell the student unrest in Beijing, then no one would have been complaining about the central government.