Since the Tiananmen killings, which he had tried to avert through compromise, he had been under house arrest. By asking whichever senior officials she saw to pass on her gift and her best wishes to Zhao, the Chinese leadership would understand that the outside world was still thinking of him and wanted to ensure his survival.
当她以公务访问北京时，也总是会坚持先为前中国领导人赵紫阳买件礼物。赵紫阳是和她谈判香港回归事宜的人。天安门事件时，赵紫阳试图以妥协避免流血，事后他被软禁。不论她会见哪个高级官员，她都会要求为她转交礼物和传达对赵紫阳的最佳祝愿，中国领导人想必因此会明白外部世界仍然记得赵紫阳，希望赵紫阳获得自由。这既务实，又周到。