A former Chinese citizen has described the horrifying moment she was warned of what would happen at Tiananmen Square.

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989. 

Thousands of Chinese student-led protesters were killed by government troops after they were deemed a threat for demanding rights to democracy and free speech.

Then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke offered asylum to 42,000 Chinese students.

Helen Shao was one of them.

She told Ben Fordham the anniversary is painful for her.

“I was 27 years old – I was at Tiananmen Square.

“We didn’t believe that the government would turn the guns on us.”

She was running to warn her students participating in the protest, but she was too late.

“Two of my students died in my arms.

“The guilt has been carried with me for the last 33 years.”

Press PLAY below to hear the full interview