Hong Kong publisher halts purported Tiananmen memoir by former Chinese Premier Li Peng

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong publisher said Sunday he has scrapped plans to publish an insider account of Beijing's decision-making behind its 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy student protesters in Tiananmen Square because of copyright problems.

Bao Pu said he had planned to release the purported memoir of former Premier Li Peng in the former British colony on Tuesday, but stopped the print run of 20,000 copies Friday.

"Relevant institutions have produced new information about the copyright holder. We have no choice but to stop right now," he said, declining to elaborate.

The Chinese government has not commented on the authenticity of the book since excerpts were provided to the media on June 4, the 21st anniversary of the crackdown.

If authenticated, the manuscript would be one of the few accounts of high-level discussions on how to handle the demonstrations. In the purported memoir, Li claims armed rioters opened fire first at Chinese troops, forcing them to return fire in self-defense. He gives a precise death toll for the military action — 313 dead, including 42 students and 23 soldiers.

Li also quotes late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping as advocating martial law, saying the government would try to minimize casualties but "we have to prepare for some bloodshed."

The Tiananmen crackdown remains a taboo subject in mainland China. The government has never provided a credible account nor allowed an independent investigation of the events and fatalities.

Hong Kong, however, is promised freedom of speech as part of its special semiautonomous political status.

"I really regret that the public will not be able to get this book," Bao said. "This is a major loss to people who study history."

Bao is the son of Bao Tong, a top aide to late Chinese Communist Party General-Secretary Zhao Ziyang, who was purged for opposing military action in Tiananmen and spent most of the rest of his life under house arrest. The younger Bao also published Zhao's posthumous memoir last year.

Calls to China's Foreign Ministry on Sunday seeking comment went unanswered.