Associated Press

Beijing, January 18:

China’s leaders made the right decision in 1989 when former Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang was deposed following the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests, a government spokesman said today, indicating there were no plans to honour him in death.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said he had no information on possible plans for a state funeral for Zhao, who died yesterday at 85, while his family reportedly said it hasn’t decided on its own plans.

Asked for the government’s opinion on the deposed leader, Kong cited rulings that the 1989 protests were a counterrevolutionary riot and Zhao, who sympathised with the demonstrators, tried to “split the party”.