Zhuhai: China’s highest officials have called for immediate action and “all-out efforts” to support the injured following a car attack in Zhuhai, one of the most severe incidents of its kind in recent years. Online discussions questioning the attack’s implications for Chinese society were swiftly censored.
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that a driver had rammed his car into a crowd gathered at a sports center in Zhuhai on Monday evening, killing 35 and severely injuring 43 others. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang directed local authorities to prioritize treatment for the injured and launch a thorough investigation, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
“Xi urged all localities and relevant authorities to draw lessons from the case and to strengthen their prevention and control of risks at the source,” the report stated. Premier Li Qiang also emphasized the importance of “coordinated risk prevention and control efforts to ensure social stability.”
The attack has shaken public confidence, as China prides itself on its strong public security record. Social media users expressed shock over the rising incidents of violent crime in major cities, although many such posts were removed. In October, a knife attack outside a prominent Beijing primary school left five wounded, and the previous month, a Japanese student was fatally stabbed in Shenzhen.
One censored post read, “Imagine if China had guns. We would all be killing each other,” expressing concerns about escalating violence.
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A Reuters reporter at the scene noted that flowers and candles left in memory of the victims had been removed by Wednesday morning. Security measures included metal barriers around the west side of the sports center, where the incident occurred.
The suspect, a 62-year-old man identified only by his surname, Fan, allegedly carried out the attack following disputes over asset division in a divorce settlement. “How can someone use such a bloody and violent way to vent their emotions because of a personal grudge and use innocent people as the object of revenge,” questioned one social media user, adding that the attack represented “the complete degeneration of human nature.”
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Others raised concerns about the effectiveness of China’s public institutions, wondering if Fan’s divorce proceedings had gone through arbitration and whether the process had been lengthy or unfair.
Some discussions shifted to preventative measures, with proposals for greater use of autonomous vehicles and physical barriers. “This incident has taught us a lesson: stone pillars should be erected in public places like stadiums to prevent vehicles from entering… then there is the promotion of smart-driving,” wrote a Weibo user. “The car will stall when it detects a deliberate collision.”
