The events in the Beijing square on June 4, 1989, when Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led pro-democracy protests, are not publicly discussed in China and the anniversary is not officially marked.
Public commemorations now take place in overseas cities including Taipei where senior Taiwan government leaders often use the anniversary to criticise China and urge it to face up to what it did.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, in a post on X, praised the courage of those who took part in the protests, saying human rights are a concept shared by Taiwan and other democracies that transcend generations and borders.
"The commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen incident is not only to mourn history, but also to perpetuate this memory," said Lai, who Beijing detests as a "separatist" and has rejected his repeated offers of talks.
"Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights," he added.
"Not only do we refuse to forget history, we will implement our core values every day."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the courage of the Chinese people who were killed in the bloody crackdown.
"Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Rubio said in a statement.
"The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party.
Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously inteferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States.
"With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said.
Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States.
"With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said.
Australia marked the anniversary saying Canberra remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights.
"On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989," Australia's Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams, said in a post on X.
Before dawn on June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers.
China has never provided a death toll, but rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into thousands. China blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party.
