Many would like to believe that China has changed. I still believe that in many ways she has, and very much for the better. Then they put on a display like the one in Tiananmen Square for their 60th anniversary, and you start to doubt your own optimism. Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Here's a collection of past memories of Chinese parades in Tiananmen Square. (Follow the link for many more photos). The same mentality that saw the invasion and occupation of Tibet as entirely justified continues to dominate in China. It is clear that the only thing that has so far stopped a similar attempt to "reclaim" Taiwan is a) fear that such an attempt might fail, and b) the hope that they can achieve the goal by other means. But one thing is for sure ... some things haven't changed at all.
1956

1984

1999