I wanted to analyse and understand how the Chinese people could have their lives so crushed by fear.

The literal meaning of the Chinese characters for revolution is elimination of life

The Chinese people have been forced to forget the Tiananmen massacre. There has been no public debate about the event, no official apology. The media aren't allowed to mention it. Still today people are being persecuted and imprisoned for disseminating information about it.

Everything I was I carry with me, everything I will belies waiting on the road ahead.

It is vitally important for me, both personally and for my writing, to be able to return to China freely, so being barred entry has caused me deep concern and distress.

In 1989, I was on Tiananmen Square with the students, living in their makeshift tents and joining their jubilant singing of the Internationale. In the two decades since, each time that I have gone back, visions from those days seem to return with increasing persistence.

Living in London is like being on a luxury cruise liner.