Tsai Ing-wen Adds Message To HK In June 4 Post

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has reiterated her support for Hong Kong's freedom in a social media post to mark the June 4 crackdown in Beijing 31 years ago.

"Everywhere else on earth, a minute passes every 60 seconds. But in China, there are only 364 days in a year, and one day is forgotten," Tsai wrote on Facebook.

"In the past in Taiwan, we used to have many days that could not appear on the calendar, but we got them back one by one. Because we no longer have to hide history, we can think about the future together," she added.

"I hope that in every corner and every land of this world, there will be no more days that disappear."

Tsai ended her post by saying "Free Taiwan supports Hong Kong's freedom".

The president had written this same message for Hong Kong on a note when she visited the Taipei bookstore of Causeway Bay bookseller Lam Wing-kee during a visit there last week.

On Wednesday, Taiwan's government said Beijing should face up to the people's expectations for freedom and democracy and begin political reform.

The island's Mainland Affairs Council also urged the Chinese Communist Party to "sincerely apologise" for the June 4 killings.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Beijing had responded to Taiwan's call by saying it was "totally nonsense".

"As to the political disturbance in the late 1980s China has drawn a clear conclusion," the spokesman told a news briefing.