"We see that as a strong example of how to behave," Zhao says. "We might face the same fate or even worse if we go back."

On Monday, Zhao and Chinese student leaders from other parts of the country met with Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-Maine) to urge a change in the status of Chinese students with J visas.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed 97-0 an amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act, sponsored by Mitchell and Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Dole (R-Kansas), which would waive the two-year residency requirement and allow students to remain as legal nonimmigrants in the U.S. until June, 1992. A similar measure, sponsored by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is currently before the House.

Beyond safeguarding the rights of students, Zhao explains, such a change would also bring important pressure to bear on the Chinese regime.

"Many students can't speak out now without fear because they know they will have trouble when they come back," explains Zhao. "And [the Chinese leaders] know they will come back.

"But say that this is waived. That means that all the J students will have the choice of coming back. Now how to get those students back? The only way for the Chinese government to convince those students to come back is by improving the political situation."

Furthermore, Zhao says, China desperately needs those who are studying abroad if it is to advance economically.

"As long as they want to modernize the country, they can't just keep buying technology," he says. "They need the expertise."

The Chinese government has in the past shown itself extremely unwilling to bow to pressures from outside influences. But many students say that the limited steps that the U.S. has taken have already shown some positive effect. Although the wave of arrests and executions still continues, it is proceeding in a much more low-key style, says Luo.

"They've even tried to hide it a bit when they arrest people," says Luo. "That doesn't solve the problem, but at least we've built up the pressure to the point where they can't just shoot people straight out."

And as the crackdown continues, those studying abroad say they may have to be the ones who keep the democracy movement in China alive.

"If the democracy movement is at a low point," says Yang, "we can do it here--use the foreign countries and students as a base for the prodemocracy movement."