Beijing Soldiers Evacuate City Center

BEIJING--Thousands of the troops responsible for the violent crackdown on the movement for freedom evacuated the city center early today, spraying gunfire as they passed Chinese and diplomatic residential areas.

Most of the troops from the 27th Army, riding in a convoy of hundreds of trucks and support vehicles, appeared to be shooting into the air, although some were seen aiming at an apartment complex where hundreds of diplomats and other foreigners live.

Some of the troops were crouched low and others were behind boards, apparently seeking cover from possible return fire. Rival military factions are reported stationed inside the city and on the outskirts.

The troops chanted, "Down with corruption, we love the people, we love the capital, we love youth, long live the Communist Party," as they left their positions in Tiananmen Square, the symbolic center of China.

People along the sidewalks initially cheered when they heard the chanting, but one office worker said, "They can sing any slogan they want but then they start shooting."

Other troops and tanks of the 27th Army remained in and around Tiananmen Square. It was not known if the army was conducting a complete evacuation.

It was the 27th that drove pro-democracy demonstrators from the center of Beijing on Saturday on orders from the hard-line hierarchy, killing hundreds in the most violent suppression of a popular movement in Communist China's 40-year history.

Yesterday, the 27th Army traded gunfire with the 28th Army, believed loyal to Zhao Ziyang, a moderate who challenged the conservatives and was stripped of his post as Communist Party leader. No casualties were reported.

Soldiers continued firing into crowds around Beijing four days after troops began killing hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in the most violent suppression of a popular movement in Communist China's 40-year history.

Witnesses reported a small boy killed and a girl wounded in the head. Police in riot gear cruised the streets in vans as night fell, beating up and shooting passers-by.

Anti-government demonstrations spread to Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu, Shenyang and other cities.

Other countries urged their citizens to leave Beijing. In Washington, an administration official said the United States was considering the use of chartered aircraft to evacuate Americans.

Yuan, the government spokesperson, said on television that 300 people had been killed, including 23 students, and 7000 were injured and 400 soldiers were missing. The evening television news said 32 people were arrested, most of them for trying to set fire to public buses.

Diplomats have estimated the death toll at about 3000.

Meanwhile, the political struggle between conservative and moderate factions of the Communist Party intensified as the military factions appeared to take sides.

A report that senior leader Deng Xiaoping had died added to the chaos. The report, from Taiwan, was denied by the government.

Ming Pao, a Hong Kong newspaper, said a young guard shot conservative Premier Li Peng in the thigh but the wounds were not serious. It said the guard was shot to death immediately.

Chinese sources said they heard the man shot Li because one of his relatives was killed by soldiers in Tiananmen Square, focus of the student protest for democracy.

Zhao Ziyang, the moderate Communist Party chief, was stripped of his post late last month in a confrontation with Li, President Yang Shangkun and Deng, the conservatives who ordered the army action.

Most of the soldiers involved were from the 27th Army, which is based in Hebei province and apparently is led by members of Yang's family. The 27th, which fought China's brief 1979 war with Vietnam, invaded the city Saturday night and rolled into Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds on its way.

On Tuesday afternoon, witnesses said the 27th Army fought with soldiers from Shanxi province's 28th Army, believed loyal to Zhao. There were no reports of casualties.

The brief exchange, including several rounds from a tank cannon, occurred just south of the Military Museum in western Beijing. It followed unconfirmed reports of soldiers fighting soldiers in the western and southeastern parts of the city Monday and earlier.

Hundreds of citizens flocked to the bridge at Muxudi, also in the west, to welcome soldiers yesterday evening who said they were from the 38th Army, based in Beijing.

"Exterminate the 27th Army! Avenge blood with blood!" people in the crowd chanted as they handed buns, eggs and cigarettes to the soldiers.

The 38th Army is said to have opposed the martial law crackdown and refused to fire on civilians. A soldier at Muxudi told The Associated Press soldiers of the 27th fired on his comrades.