Australian artist Guo Jian is to be deported from China ahead of the Tiananmen Square protest's 25^th anniversary.

Being a former participant in the 1989 pro-democracy protest in China, Guo was detained by police on Sunday after granting an extensive interview with the Financial Times, wrote BBC News.

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According to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs, Chinese authorities let consular officials visit Guo in Beijing and have explained that the artist has been detained due to a visa-related issue. Guo will remain with the police for 15 days and then will be deported from China.

China has ramped up its security ahead of the bloody Tiananamen Square protest's 25^th anniversary. Aside from dissidents and activists, authorities have begun to detain or send out lawyers, activists, and journalists a several weeks ago.

In addition, search terms related to the 1989 incident and the deadly protests have been blocked from the Internet. Google services have also been disrupted in the country.

Since the 1949 founding of the People's Republic, the 1989 protests were the biggest of its kind against Communists authorities. Hundreds of thousands staged a peaceful demonstration in Tiananmen Square, asking for democratic reforms. After a few weeks, on June 4, 1989, Chinese authorities massacred hundreds of rallyists in Beijing.

According to analysts, Chinese efforts to repress commemorations of the 25^th anniversary of the Tiananmen protests are significantly greater than those in previous years.

Based on a report posted by The Guardian, Guo had been taken away from his suburban Beijing home on Sunday and would be detained until June 15. The Australian government said it would provide Guo with consular assistance while he is detained.

Guo had just finished a stint as a soldier and was an art student in Beijing in 1989. He had participated in the student protests and had seen the military crackdown that started on the evening of June 3.

TagsGuo Jian, artist, deportation, Tiananmen anniversary