Police surround Tianenmen Square

Police in China's capital, Beijing, have ringed Tiananmen Square on the 20th anniversary of the violent suppression of student-led protests. The clampdown comes as international pressure mounts for China to issue a full account of what happened in 1989. Police surround Tianenmen Square U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for China to publish the names of those killed or missing. Hundreds, possibly thousands, died in the massacre, and open debate on the topic is forbidden in mainland China. "A China that has made enormous progress economically and is emerging to take its rightful place in global leadership should examine openly the darker events of its past," Clinton said in a statement released on Wednesday. She said the Beijing government need to "provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal". China expressed its "strong dissatisfaction" with Clinton's comments. "The U.S. action makes groundless accusations against the Chinese government," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said. "Chance to reflect" There is very tight security in Beijing, with police stopping foreign journalists reaching the square. Uniformed and plain-clothed officials even stopped TV crews filming the daily flag-raising ceremony at dawn.z Many dissidents say they have been told to leave Beijing or are confined to their homes, and plain-clothes police are at the gates of the city's universities to prevent any commemorative events. Even in Hong Kong, where freedom of expression is guaranteed, some dissidents have been denied entry. Clinton said in her statement that the anniversary was a chance for China to "reflect upon the meaning of the events that preceded that day". "China can honour the memory of that day by moving to give the rule of law, protection of internationally-recognised human rights, and democratic development the same priority as it has given to economic reform," she added. Clinton's views were echoed by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who said that while China had made "big improvements in economic and social rights" since the Tiananmen crackdown, progress on political and civil rights had been "far slower". Discussion banned The statement from Clinton represents a tougher line than the Obama administration has taken so far when addressing China's human rights record, the BBC reports from Washington. She says Clinton had disappointed activists at the start of her tenure by saying human rights should not interfere in discussions with China about other issues, like climate change and North Korea. The Chinese Communist Party has never held an official inquiry into what happened in and around the square 20 years ago, and discussion of the issue is banned on the mainland. The Tiananmen protests started in Spring 1989, when students began calling for greater democracy and anti-corruption measures. After weeks of protests, troops moved in on the night of June 3-4, 1989.

Police surround Tianenmen Square

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for China to publish the names of those killed or missing.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, died in the massacre, and open debate on the topic is forbidden in mainland China.

"A China that has made enormous progress economically and is emerging to take its rightful place in global leadership should examine openly the darker events of its past," Clinton said in a statement released on Wednesday.

She said the Beijing government need to "provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal".

China expressed its "strong dissatisfaction" with Clinton's comments.

"The U.S. action makes groundless accusations against the Chinese government," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

"Chance to reflect"

There is very tight security in Beijing, with police stopping foreign journalists reaching the square.

Uniformed and plain-clothed officials even stopped TV crews filming the daily flag-raising ceremony at dawn.ž

Many dissidents say they have been told to leave Beijing or are confined to their homes, and plain-clothes police are at the gates of the city's universities to prevent any commemorative events.

Even in Hong Kong, where freedom of expression is guaranteed, some dissidents have been denied entry.

Clinton said in her statement that the anniversary was a chance for China to "reflect upon the meaning of the events that preceded that day".

"China can honour the memory of that day by moving to give the rule of law, protection of internationally-recognised human rights, and democratic development the same priority as it has given to economic reform," she added.

Clinton's views were echoed by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who said that while China had made "big improvements in economic and social rights" since the Tiananmen crackdown, progress on political and civil rights had been "far slower".

Discussion banned

The statement from Clinton represents a tougher line than the Obama administration has taken so far when addressing China's human rights record, the BBC reports from Washington.

She says Clinton had disappointed activists at the start of her tenure by saying human rights should not interfere in discussions with China about other issues, like climate change and North Korea.

The Chinese Communist Party has never held an official inquiry into what happened in and around the square 20 years ago, and discussion of the issue is banned on the mainland.

The Tiananmen protests started in Spring 1989, when students began calling for greater democracy and anti-corruption measures.

After weeks of protests, troops moved in on the night of June 3-4, 1989.