Trial Transcript of General Xu Qinxian, Former Commander in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Who Refused to Comply with Martial Law Order During 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests
November 28, 2025
Footage of Xu Qinxian’s 6-hour trial for refusing to violently suppress students is revealed for the first time. On November 25, a 6-hour-long video that had never been publicly disclosed before—the complete trial process of Major General Xu Qinxian in a military court—was exposed online for the first time, containing a large amount of previously classified military action details as state secrets. The footage shows that Xu Qinxian, then commander of the 38th Army, clearly stated that “students were mixed with the public and targets could not be distinguished,” insisted on resolving the crisis through political means, and refused to sign the troop deployment order. He was removed from his position for refusing to lead the 38th Army into Beijing to enforce martial law and opposing the use of force to suppress students, and was subsequently sentenced to five years in prison.
Zhou Fengsuo, executive director of Human Rights in China, pointed out that this not only reflects General Xu Qianxian’s moral courage but also, for the first time, uses firsthand video footage to confirm the existence of anti-martial law sentiments within the military, corroborating the historical fact that a large number of Beijing soldiers did not support the use of force to clear Tiananmen Square that year, and revealing the truth that has been deliberately concealed in the official narrative: even within the military, orders to massacre students had faced significant resistance.
An English translation of Indictment 90 (No. 1) by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Beijing Military Procuratorate, on Xu Qinxian:
“Defendant: Xu Qinxian, Male, Han ethnicity, [then] age 54, native of Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, originally a store vendor, junior college education. Enlisted in December 1950, joined the Party in July 1956. In December 1987, he was appointed as Army Commander of the 38th Group Army, and on September 1, 1988, awarded the rank of Major General. On May 23, 1989, he was dismissed from the position of Army Commander for defying a martial law order, placed under residential surveillance on September 11 of the same year, and arrested on January 9, 1990.
The case of defendant Xu Qinxian defying a martial law order was investigated and concluded by the PLA Beijing Military Procuratorate, and on December 8, 1989, the procuratorate was authorized to review [the case] and prosecute the defendant.
It is now determined that:
On or about on May 18, 1989, Beijing Military Region Political Commissar Liu Zhenhua and other leaders conveyed to Xu Qinxian the Central Military Commission’s order to deploy the 38th Group Army to Beijing to carry out martial law tasks, at the conference room on the third floor of the main building of the military region office building. At that time, Commander Zhou Yibing was attending another emergency meeting convened by superiors.
After Political Commissar Liu and other military region leaders conveyed the Military Commission’s order and deployed the tasks, Xu Qinxian immediately expressed his refusal to lead the troops into Beijing to conduct the martial law tasks.
He said: “For a major matter involving the use of the military, I suggest that it should be discussed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and the State Council plenary session. Whether this is appropriate or not, such an order should be issued by the state. It is inappropriate to issue it [simply] in the name of the Party.”
He also said: “Such an action must withstand the test of history. It may not be clear in the short term, but history can prove it. Executing such a task may bring merit, or it may make one a criminal in history.”
He claimed: “(Regardless of) the weapons (equipment) required for such a task, I cannot carry it out. The Central Military Commission can appoint me as Army Commander or revoke my position. I cannot execute such an order. Please find someone else, leaders.”
Despite the stern criticism and orders from the military region leaders, Xu Qinxian went to the military region’s combat duty room and, using a secure telephone, conveyed the Military Commission’s order to the 38th Group Army’s Political Commissar Wang Fuyi, and said to Wang: “I disagree with this approach, and I cannot execute this order. I cannot command anymore. As for who commands, you [shall] decide.”
That evening at 7.00pm, Xu Qinxian called the military region’s Political Commissar Liu from Room 213 of the guest house at Building 85 of the military region, saying: “I have conveyed the order, from now on, don’t come to me about this matter anymore.”
Thereafter, Xu Qinxian never expressed to the military region leaders any intention to execute the Military Commission’s order.
The above facts are clear, corroborated by documentary evidence and witness testimonies.
Xu Qinxian’s act of defying the Military Commission’s martial law order disrupted the leading organs’ deployment of martial law tasks, emboldened the arrogance of the rioters and violent elements, increased the difficulties for the troops entering the city to carry out martial law tasks, severely damaged the political reputation of our army, and caused extremely adverse political influence domestically and internationally.
As an Army Commander, defendant Xu Qinxian openly disobeyed orders at a critical moment when the Party and the country were at a life-and-death juncture, seriously endangering the interests of the Party and the state, with a vile nature and dire consequences.
In accordance with the provisions of Article 79 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), by reference to the provisions of Article 17 of the Interim Regulations of the PRC on the Punishment of Military Personnel for Crimes Against Duties, the actions of defendant Xu Qinxian constitute the crime of defying a martial law order. Pursuant to the provisions of Article 100 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the PRC, this public prosecution is hereby instituted, requesting that he be punished in accordance with the law.
Respectfully submitted to the Beijing Military Region Military Court by Jiang Jichu, Deputy Procurator-General, and Jiang Guang, Wang Changsheng, procurators, in January 1990”
The full video transcript of the trial of Xu Qinxian, commander of the 38th Army, charged with “disobeying orders on June 4th” is available on Human Rights In China’s Youtube Channel.
徐勤先拒绝暴力镇压学生的6小时庭审影像首次曝光。11月25日，一段长达6小时、此前从未公开的徐勤先少将在军事法庭受审的完整庭审过程首次在网上曝光，其中包含大量此前被为国家机密的军方行动细节。影像显示，时任第38军军长的徐勤先明确表示”学生与民众混杂、无法区分目标”，坚持主张以政治方式解决危机，拒绝在调兵命令上签字。他因拒绝率领第38军进京执行戒严、反对以武力镇压学生而被撤职，随后被判刑五年。
中国人权执行主任周锋锁指出，这不仅反映了一位将军的道德标准，更是首次以一手影像资料证实军方内部存在反戒严态度，印证了当年大量北京军人不赞同武力清场的历史事实，揭示了此前官方叙事中一直被刻意掩盖的真相：即便在军队内部，屠杀学生的命令也曾遭遇抵制
徐勤先，男，汉族，现年54岁，辽宁省沈阳市人，小商贩出身，学生成分，大专文化。1950年12月入伍，1956年7月入党。1987年12月任陆军第38集团军军长，1988年9月1日被授予少将军衔。因违抗戒严命令，1989年5月23日被撤销军长职务，同年9月11日被监视居住，1990年1月9日被依法逮捕。
被告人徐勤先违抗戒严命令一案，由解放军军事检察院侦查终结，并于1989年12月8日授权我院进行审查起诉。
现查明：
1989年5月18日16时许，北京军区政治委员刘振华（当时周衣冰司令员正参加上级召开的紧急会议）等领导，在军区办公楼主楼三层会议室，向徐勤先传达中央军委关于调38集团军到北京执行戒严任务的命令。
当刘政委等军区领导传达军委命令和部署任务后，徐勤先即表示拒绝带领部队进京执行戒严任务。
他说：“动用军队这样的大事，我建议由全国人大常委会、国务院全体会议进行讨论。究竟这样做对头不对头？这样的命令应当由国家发布，以党的名义发布是不合适的。”
他还说：“这样的行动要经得起历史的检验。一个时间也可能短时间看不清楚，但历史可以证明。执行这样的任务可能立功，也可能成为历史罪人。”
他声称：“（无论）武器（装备如何），执行这样的任务，我无法执行。中央军委可以任命我当军长，也可以撤销我的职务。这样的命令我无法执行，请领导另找人吧。”
在军区领导的严厉批评和责令下，徐勤先到军区作战值班室，用保密电话将军委的命令传达给了该集团军政委王福义，并对王说：“我不同意这个办法，我不能执行这个命令，我不能指挥了。至于谁指挥，你们定吧。”
当晚7时，徐勤先在军区85号楼招待所213号房间给军区刘政委打电话说：“命令我传达下去了，今后这件事就不要再找我了。”
此后，徐勤先没有向军区领导表示过要执行军委的命令。
上述犯罪事实清楚，有书证和证人证言佐证。
徐勤先违抗军委戒严命令的行为，干扰了领导机关对戒严任务的部署，助长了动乱和暴乱分子的嚣张气焰，增大了部队进城执行戒严任务的困难，严重损害了我军的政治声誉，在国内外造成了恶劣的政治影响。
被告人徐勤先身为军长，在党和国家处于生死存亡的关键时刻，公然抗命，严重危害了党和国家的利益，性质恶劣，后果严重。
根据《中华人民共和国刑法》第79条的规定，比照《中华人民共和国惩治军人违反职责罪暂行条例》第17条之规定，被告人徐勤先的行为已构成违抗戒严命令罪。依据《中华人民共和国刑事诉讼法》第100条之规定，特提起公诉，请依法惩处。
此致
北京军区军事法院
副检察长： 蒋继初
检察员： 蒋光、王昌生
1990年1月
针对第38军司令员徐勤先“6月4日违抗命令”的审判完整视频记录可在“中国人权”的YouTube频道上观看。
A hero.
Where is the actual video, or has it been taken down already ?