Martial Law Ends in Beijing; Pleased U.S. Indicates Support for World Bank Loans

BEIJING — Premier Li Peng lifted Beijing’s 7-month-old martial law today and Chinese troops pulled out of Tian An Men Square, where the army moved in with tanks June 4 to put down anti-government protests.

The Chinese action, which was largely symbolic, appeared intended chiefly to ease foreign criticism of China’s harsh crackdown on dissent and cue the World Bank and industrialized nations to restore badly needed soft loans.

Even without martial law, Chinese security forces have wide authority to quell dissent. The government passed a law in November banning all but pro-government demonstrations; strikes and putting up political posters are already illegal.

The White House quickly welcomed the martial law decision and indicated the United States would start supporting Chinese applications for World Bank loans that help people.

“The President said he does not want to hurt the Chinese people. The United States therefore will take a close look at loans that meet basic human needs and will consider them on a case-by-case basis,” spokesman Roman Popadiuk said.

Popadiuk insisted the move did not represent any change in sanctions imposed after the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. “The U.S. will be consulting with World Bank members with a view to maintaining the President’s policy in international financial institutions,” he said.

The White House announced U.S. sanctions June 20, saying at the time that the United States would seek to postpone consideration of new international financial loans to China.

Western diplomats in Beijing linked Li’s action today to the December visit of U.S. National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, who sought an easing of China’s crackdown in exchange for normalizing bilateral relations.

Li, however, sought to portray the end of martial law as a sign of its success. He said it proved that “the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese government and the Chinese people are capable of running their own affairs well.”

Martial law, which was imposed May 20, officially ended at midnight this morning.

Beijing streets and college campuses remained quiet today. Several students said the end of martial law made no difference, and noted that tight campus security would remain.

Asked if any students were likely to try to renew calls for democracy, one woman student said: “We’re about to go on winter holiday--we’ve all already bought our tickets to go home.”

The troops who departed Tian An Men Square left behind a dozen police armed with the small pistols worn by all Beijing constables. Two guarded the Monument to the People’s Heroes, a tall obelisk in the center of the square. The others stood around the perimeter.

But four police officers armed with rifles and fixed bayonets were posted at the mausoleum to the late Chairman Mao Tse-tung at the square’s southern edge.

Police officers said civilians can now enter the square freely, unlike during martial law, but they still tried to wave away passing bicyclists who stopped and climbed over a metal railing into the square. A new sign went up saying the steps of the monument, used by the protesters as a speaking platform, will remain off-limits.