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2024 Suzhou knife attack

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2024 Suzhou knife attack
Map
Location of the incident in Suzhou
LocationHuqiu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
Date24 June 2024
4:00 p.m. (UTC+08:00)
Attack type
Mass stabbing
Deaths1
Injured2
PerpetratorZhou

On 24 June 2024, a Chinese man attacked a Japanese mother and her three-year-old son with a knife at the Xindi Center bus station near the Japanese School of Suzhou in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The assailant attempted to board a Japanese school bus during the attack, resulting in the fatal stabbing of the bus attendant—a Chinese woman named Hu Youping (胡友平)—who had intervened to protect the passengers. The mother and child sustained minor injuries.[1] The perpetrator, surnamed Zhou, was arrested.[2]

On 28 June, Mao Ning, the chief spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a public statement mourning Hu's death, and announced that she would be formally recognized by the Suzhou municipal government for her bravery.[2] The Chinese technology companies Tencent and NetEase announced measures to counteract extreme Chinese nationalism among netizens, which was the subject of scrutiny both prior to and after the attack.[3]

Background

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Due to Suzhou's attraction to Japanese corporate investment, many Japanese companies in China have set up their headquarters in Suzhou, drawing many Japanese expatriates to the city; according to figures released by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 2023, around 5,300 Japanese expatriates were living in Suzhou.[4] According to information on the official website of the Japanese School of Suzhou, near where the attack took place, the school provides Japanese language education from the first grade of elementary school to the third grade of middle school (ages c. 6–15), and also has a kindergarten.[5] The area around the bus stop where the stabbing occurred is where Japanese expatriates live.[6]

This attack is the second violent attack on foreigners in China in June 2024. On 10 June four university teachers from the United States were attacked with a knife [zh] in Beishan Park, Jilin City.[5][7]

Attack

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The Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai [ja; zh] and the Suzhou Police reported that at about 16:00 on 24 June 2024, a mother and son of Japanese expatriates living in China and a Chinese employee on board a Japanese school bus were attacked with a knife.[5]

According to Japanese media reports, the stabbing occurred when school was ending. The Japanese mother and her 3-year-old son were waiting for the school bus at the Xindi Center bus stop 1 km (0.62 mi) away from the Japanese School of Suzhou.[4] When the school bus arrived at the stop, a 52-year-old Chinese man, who was unemployed and had recently arrived in the city, suddenly attacked the mother and child with a knife. The attacker grabbed the Japanese child's clothes and stabbed him in the back.[8]

The attacker then attempted to board the school bus, but Hu Youping (胡友平), a 54-year-old Chinese school bus driver, stopped the attacker, allowing the Japanese boy to escape. According to the child's mother, Hu first pulled and then hugged the attacker. She and the student's parents used umbrellas and handbags to block the attacker. The attacker was eventually subdued by Hu and another taxi driver. Hu was stabbed several times by the criminal suspect and fell to the ground unconscious due to serious injuries.[9] The attacker continued to make noise for a while after being subdued, and was later criminally detained by the police.[5][8][4]

After the stabbing, the three injured were sent to the hospital, including the Japanese child. His mother was discharged from the hospital on the same day. Hu was sent to the hospital where resuscitation failed and died two days later on 26 June.[10] On 28 June, Hu's funeral was held at the Suzhou Funeral Home. The service was attended by family members, relatives and friends, along with citizens, and leaders at the urban and municipal levels.[11] On 2 July, Hu was posthumously awarded the title of "Model of Bravery for Righteousness" by the Suzhou authorities.[12]

Victim

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Hu Youping was born on 27 July 1969, in Jialing Village, Jialing Township, Huai'an City in northern Suzhou. At the age of 20, she worked as a textile worker in a Suzhou cotton mill, before marrying and having children in Jiangsu. Hu later went to another factory to continue working. In the spring of 2016, Hu lost her job and applied for a job as a nanny and worker at a domestic service company on Ganjiang Road, Suzhou. In 2020, Hu started her own micro-business named "DM Fashion", which sold women's consumer goods. However, the store was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, she returned to cleaning, doing various temporary outsourcing jobs, until she applied for a job as a school bus driver and guide at the Japanese School of Suzhou.[13]

Aftermath

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Following the attack

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At noon on 25 June, Consul General Shuichi Akamatsu [jp] of the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai met with Suzhou Mayor Wu Qingwen [zh] to lodge representations on the stabbing, requesting Suzhou City to disclose relevant information about the case to Japan as soon as possible and to strengthen security around Japanese schools in Suzhou. Wu said that he has requested further strengthening of safety precautions.[14]

On the afternoon of 25 June, Mao Ning, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, called the attack an "accidental incident" at a regular press conference, describing it as something that would happen all over the world. Mao said that "China is still one of the safest countries in the world", will take measures to protect foreigners in China as well as Chinese citizens. When a reporter from Bloomberg asked how her statement about China being "one of the safest countries" was measured, Mao said that it was based on "evaluations from all sides", adding, "If you live in China, I believe you can feel that China is very safe."[15]

The Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai stated there were no clear indications that the attack intentionally targeted Japanese people.[16] However, it stated that in April of the same year, a Japanese man was stabbed in the neck by a man who may have been Chinese on Huaihai Street in Suzhou, sustaining minor injuries.[17]

The Japanese School of Suzhou suspended classes on 25 June before resuming them the next day after security measures were strengthened.[6] The Suzhou police also reinforced their police presence near the school.[18] Japanese residents of Suzhou reportedly did not let their children go out.[19]

Chinese netizens had mixed reactions to the stabbing. One netizen posted a post praising Hu, saying, "In the long run, this heroine saved the lives of many people in Suzhou and even across the country." The post was published within a day. It received more than 20,000 likes; some netizens discussed that the stabbing may be related to hate education or anti-Japanese sentiment in China.[20][21] Sina Weibo announced on 26 June that it had purged 759 posts that used the stabbing to incite hatred and glorify crimes, and banned or deleted 36 illegal accounts.[3]

On 30 June, Kyodo News quoted multiple sources on Japan-China relations as saying that the attacker had no job and no family. He had only recently come to Suzhou and felt isolated. The attack may have been a random attack rather than a targeting of Japanese nationals.[citation needed]

On the afternoon of 1 July, an 87-member delegation from the Japan Association for the Promotion of International Trade [zh], headed by former Japanese House of Representatives Speaker Yōhei Kōno, held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. During the talks, He Lifeng said that the attack "must not be allowed" to impact on Sino-Japanese relations.[22]

Mourning

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On 28 June, Mao said that Hu embodied the kindness and bravery of the Chinese people and expressed condolences for her death.[23]

On the same day, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed regret for the attack and hoped the victims would recover soon. He dispatched the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai to Suzhou to provide support to local Japanese residents. The Japanese government has also requested Beijing to prevent similar incidents from happening again and share information.[6] Japan's ambassador to China, Kenji Kanasugi [ja], issued a video statement on the embassy's official Sina Weibo account offering his condolences to the victims.[24] The Japanese Embassy in China also lowered its flag at half-mast in mourning.[25] Japanese Foreign Minister Yōko Kamikawa mourned Hu at a press conference and expressed deep sorrow for her death. Kamikawa expressed her "deep gratitude and respect for Hu Youping's brave behavior".[26]

Many gathered at the bus stop where the stabbing took place to place flowers and express their condolences.[27] Some netizens wrote that there were over 20 plain-clothes officers at the bus stop attempting to take away flowers from passers-by. One netizen reported they had a "big fight" with a few plainclothes people over the flowers. China News Network reported that someone at the scene said that "the flowers will be collected together and sent to the funeral parlor".[citation needed]

On 28 June, a report in Suzhou Daily about Hu's family stated that:

The family members unanimously discussed and decided not to accept donations of money or materials. They also hope that they will no longer be disturbed. They just hope that the deceased rests in peace and that the family can return to a peaceful life as soon as possible.

— Suzhou Daily[28]

On the evening of 28 June, the Tianjin Radio and Television Tower projected a portrait of Hu with phrases such as "A light that illuminates the hearts of the world," "One person's good deeds can inspire thousands of people," and "A man with capital letters" to express condolences.[29]

Impact

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A large number of comments on the Chinese Internet that affected the stabbing were jointly dealt with by NetEase, Tencent, Douyin, Bilibili and other Chinese social platforms. These platforms considered that "these comments incited confrontation between China and Japan and stirred up extreme nationalist sentiments, and were illegal content".[3][30][31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "China mourns death of woman who tried to stop knifeman after attack on Japanese family in Suzhou". CNA. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Cang, Wei (28 June 2024). "Suzhou woman who intervened to save Japanese dies". China Daily. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Hawkins, Amy (1 July 2024). "China's tech firms vow crackdown on online hate speech after knife attack". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c 蘇州漢持刀襲日本人學校校巴3傷 日方料非針對日本人 中方指偶發事件 [Man in Suzhou attacked Japanese school bus with a knife, injuring three. Japan said it was not targeting Japanese people. China said it was an accident.]. AM730 (in Chinese). 26 June 2024. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Li Xiangyang (李向陽) Chi Huanheng (池煥衡) (26 June 2024). 蘇州日本母子等校巴遇襲　中國女員工阻兇徒上車捱刀命危 [Japanese mother and son attacked on a school bus in Suzhou. Chinese female employee was stabbed to death after trying to prevent the assailant from getting on bus.]. Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "日本母子在蘇州被砍後 日本官房長官籲中國防止再砍殺日本人" [After Japanese mother and son were stabbed in Suzhou, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary called on China to prevent further violence against Japanese expats.]. Radio France Internationale (in Chinese). 26 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Iowa City native, Cornell instructor who was attacked in China on his way home". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b Xu Yi'an (許懿安) (26 June 2024). 蘇州日本人學校斬人案：目擊者憶驚險一刻　有日本人嚇至不敢出街 [Suzhou Japanese school murder case: Witnesses recall the harrowing moment. Some were so frightened that they did not dare to go out on the street.]. 香港01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  9. ^ 苏州将追授胡友平"见义勇为模范"称号 [Suzhou will posthumously award Hu Youping the title of "Courageous Model"]. Xinhua (in Chinese). 28 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  10. ^ Yang Shaogong (杨绍功). 苏州持刀伤人案中见义勇为的中国女子不幸离世 [The Chinese woman who acted bravely in the stabbing case in Suzhou died unfortunately]. Xinhua. Archived from the original on 19 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  11. ^ 胡友平家属通过《苏州日报》衷心感谢社会各界关心慰问 [Hu Youping’s family expressed their heartfelt thanks to all for their concern and condolences through Suzhou Daily]. Suzhou Daily (in Chinese). 29 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  12. ^ 胡友平被授予"苏州市见义勇为模范"称号 [Hu Youping was awarded the title of "Suzhou City's Model for Bravery "]. Xinhua (in Chinese). 2 July 2024. Archived from the original on 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  13. ^ 王之言、燕青 (1 July 2024). "我们所认识的胡友平" [The Hu Youping we know]. 凤凰网 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  14. ^ "赤松秀一日本国驻上海总领事・大使就中国苏州发生的日本公民遇袭案件提出了交涉" [Akamatsu Shuichi, Consul General and Ambassador of Japan in Shanghai, made representations regarding the attack on Japanese citizens in Suzhou, China]. 日本驻上海总领事馆 (in Chinese). 27 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  15. ^ 美教師吉林遇襲後 日母子蘇州被刺傷 中網民掀義和團討論 [After the attack on an American teacher in Jilin, a Japanese mother and son were stabbed in Suzhou, and Chinese netizens launched a discussion on the Boxer Rebellion]. Photon (in Chinese). 26 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  16. ^ "日籍母子被斬傷 蘇州日本人學校今停課" [Japanese mother and son were stabbed, Japanese school in Suzhou closed today]. Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  17. ^ 日本領館稱蘇州4月也發生日本人遇襲事件 [The Japanese Consulate said that a Japanese attack also occurred in Suzhou in April]. Kyodo (in Chinese). 27 June 2024. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  18. ^ Qiu, Guoqiang; Yang, Shengru (26 June 2024). "校方警方加強安全措施 蘇州日本人學校26日復課" [School police strengthen security measures and Suzhou Japanese School resumes classes on the 26th]. Central News Agency (Taiwan) (in Chinese). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  19. ^ 蘇州日本人學校復課 加強安全措施 [Suzhou Japanese school resumes classes with enhanced safety measures]. Kyodo (in Chinese). 26 June 2024. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Outrage in Japan as 'indoctrination' blamed for stabbings of woman, child in China". South China Morning Post. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  21. ^ "美教師吉林遇襲後 日母子蘇州被刺傷 中網民掀義和團討論" [After the attack on an American teacher in Jilin, a Japanese mother and son were stabbed in Suzhou, and Chinese netizens launched a discussion on the Boxer Rebellion]. 光傳媒 (in Chinese). 26 June 2024. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  22. ^ Chu, Liangyi (2 July 2024). "中国副总理对日本代表团说：不能让苏州事件影响中日关系" [Chinese Vice Premier told the Japanese delegation: The Suzhou incident cannot be allowed to affect Sino-Japanese relations]. Radio France Internationale (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  23. ^ "外交部：胡友平女士体现了中国人民的善良和勇敢 对她不幸逝世表示哀悼" [Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Ms. Hu Youping embodies the kindness and bravery of the Chinese people. Condolences for her unfortunate death]. 财新网 (in Chinese). 28 June 2024. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Chinese woman killed stopping school bus attack honoured for 'selfless heroism'". South China Morning Post. 2 July 2024. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  25. ^ "日人蘇州遇襲︱救人校巴女工傷重不治 日本駐華使館下半旗致哀" [Japanese attack in Suzhou︱The female school bus worker who rescued people died of serious injuries. The Japanese Embassy in China lowered the flag at half-mast in mourning]. Sing Tao Daily (in Chinese). 28 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  26. ^ "日外相對見義勇為的中國女性離世表示哀悼" [Japanese and foreign relatives expressed condolences to the death of the brave Chinese woman]. Kyodo News. 28 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  27. ^ "胡友平勇阻兇徒中日齊讚 蘇州追授稱號日使館下半旗 民眾獻花遭收走" [China and Japan praised Hu Youping for his bravery in stopping the assailants. Suzhou awarded title to Hu posthumously. Japanese embassy lowered the flag at half-mast. Flowers presented by people were confiscated.]. 明报 (in Chinese). 29 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  28. ^ 胡友平家属通过《苏州日报》衷心感谢社会各界关心慰问. Suzhou Daily (in Chinese). 29 June 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  29. ^ "日人蘇州遇襲︱天津天塔亮燈紀念胡友平：一道照亮世人心靈的光" [Japanese attack on Suzhou︱Tianjin Sky Tower lights up to commemorate Hu Youping: a light that illuminates the hearts of the world]. Sing Tao Daily (in Chinese). 29 June 2024. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  30. ^ "网易、腾讯、凤凰网、抖音、百度相继发布打击煽动中日对立、挑动极端民族主义情绪有害信息相关公告" [NetEase, Tencent, Ifeng.com, Douyin, and Baidu have successively issued announcements related to cracking down on harmful information that incites confrontation between China and Japan and stirs up extreme nationalist sentiments.]. ZAKER. 1 July 2024. Archived from the original on 1 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  31. ^ Loh, Matthew. "It took a messy school bus stabbing for China to finally do something about extreme nationalism on social media". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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