Former Beijing Mayor Denies Responsibility for Tiananmen Square Crackdown

Chen Xitong, who was the mayor of Beijing when the military cracked down on students and other protesters in and around Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, has denied years of accusations that he turned Deng Xiaoping, China’s principal leader at the time, against the protesters and then played a key role in organizing the military assault, according to a new book. The book, “Conversations with Chen Xitong,” which goes on sale in Hong Kong on Friday, is by Yao Jianfu, a Chinese scholar, who writes that he spoke with Mr. Chen eight times since early last year.

Mr. Chen told Mr. Yao that “several hundred people died that day.” He also said that he had wanted a peaceful resolution and still did not know who played which roles in organizing the military assault. Mr. Chen was removed as mayor in 1995, convicted of corruption in 1998 and imprisoned. He was released on medical parole in 2004.