Medal Presented to Soldiers : China Retools History: AK-47 Badge of Honor

A design seen widely here in recent days evokes powerful images: In the background is Tian An Men--central Beijing’s Gate of Heavenly Peace--and in the foreground an AK-47 semiautomatic rifle.

Is this a symbol of resurgent protest, a grim reminder of the bloody night of June 3-4, when martial law troops shot their way into the capital, killing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pro-democracy protesters who sought to block their path? Are authorities now hunting down whoever dared to create this design?

No. Quite the opposite.

As authorities try to rewrite the history of what happened that June night, the design of an AK-47 in front of Tian An Men has literally become a badge of honor.

Presented to Soldiers

The design is on a new medal presented to the soldiers who now occupy Beijing. It was issued under the direct authority of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and bears characters in Deng’s calligraphy: “Guardian of the capital.” Over the past few days, pictures of the badge have appeared in all the major media.

The new badge is one more tool in an intense propaganda campaign that has been building for more than a month, reaching a new peak with Army Day celebrations marking the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.

“During the brave struggle to quell the counterrevolutionary rebellion, relations between the army and the people that are as close as the relation of fish and water were fully displayed,” declared an editorial Tuesday in the official newspaper People’s Daily.

“Even though they were facing cruel thugs, our soldiers, in order not to accidentally injure onlookers, restrained themselves again and again,” the editorial continued. “Some soldiers, in order to avoid even greater bloodshed, got beaten or even gave their lives. By their acts they have proven that the People’s Liberation Army is really a benevolent, just and civilized army.”

Newspaper Promotes Theme

A half page of photographs and drawings in the People’s Daily promoted the same theme, with cheerful soldiers greeting children, chatting with Beijing residents or sprucing up the landscaping around Tian An Men.

In recent days, the television news has shown soldiers being entertained by performers and receiving flowers from children or gifts of food from peasants. An exhibition presenting the government’s view of this spring’s protests and the events of early June opened Monday at the military museum.

On Tuesday, every major newspaper ran editorials praising the army.

“The guns of the People’s Liberation Army point only at enemies at home and abroad, and will never be directed at the people,” declared the Economic Daily in an editorial entitled, “Glory Belongs to the People’s Soldiers.”

‘Had No Choice but to Fire’

“In suppressing the rebellion, the People’s Liberation Army had no choice but to open fire on the counterrevolutionary rioters,” the editorial added. “The army was carrying out its duties. In short, it was done to cherish and protect the people.”

The combination of force and propaganda has brought a surface calm to Beijing, but the city is far from normal. Two months after the crackdown, young soldiers still stand at intersections, bridges and outside embassy compounds with AK-47 semiautomatic assault rifles and shorter, black machine pistols. Some look nervous, others hot and bored, while the lucky ones are in groups where they can chat with each other.

Vehicular traffic, including bicycles, can pass by Tian An Men Square. But anyone trying to walk past the square--which was the center of last spring’s seven-week pro-democracy movement--is still stopped by soldiers with the ubiquitous AK-47. Only specially approved groups can enter the square to view the monuments.

Late at night vehicles, including those of diplomats, are still stopped at military roadblocks. Soldiers demand identification of passengers and often check trunks for weapons or fugitives.

Residents Resentful

Chinese residents of Beijing, when they think it is safe to do so, still privately express deep resentment of military control in their city. But the show of military strength and the propaganda barrage have put effective limits on public discourse by Chinese.

A large segment of Beijing’s diplomatic community, however, managed to make a quiet protest when diplomats from the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and Western Europe boycotted a reception held at the Great Hall of the People to honor the army.

Diplomats from many African, South American, Eastern Bloc and Asian nations attended the event.

The Chinese press Tuesday made no mention of the boycott. But Defense Minister Qin Jiwei, in a toast, declared:

“I wish to state solemnly here that the Chinese people and the People’s Liberation Army have never yielded to outside pressure, nor will they in the future. We advise those who remain hostile to China to take a long view and not to do anything that would again hurt the national feelings of the Chinese people and harm their normal relations with China.”