four US citizens stabbed in park, suspect arrested

They were hospitalized and are in stable condition, as was a Chinese tourist who tried to intervene.

A suspect was arrested in China according to police after the apparent stabbing of four American university professors on Monday August 10. “Our team is in contact with these Americans and our Chinese partners to ensure that the victims have everything they need and that the police take all necessary measures”, wrote Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s national security adviser, in a message published on X, Tuesday June 11. The White House said “deeply worried”while the Chinese authorities have mentioned “an isolated case”.

Cornell College University in the state of Iowa said Monday that these four Americans worked as professors for the higher education establishment and were participating in an academic exchange in China. A spokesperson for the US State Department said “a stabbing attack in Jilin”, a city in northeastern China, located in the province of the same name. An Iowa lawmaker, Adam Zabner, told US channel CNN that his brother was one of the victims. “He is doing well,” underlined the elected official, who said he spoke to his loved one. He was “stitched up and appears to be recovering.”

China only confirmed this aggression on Tuesday. “The suspect, named Mr. Cui, was arrested the same day” of the attack which took place in a park in Jilin, the police of this city said in a press release, adding that the man in question is 55 years old. In addition to the four Americans, a Chinese tourist who tried to intervene was also injured, police said. The five people are still hospitalized and their condition is stable, the press release emphasizes. No motive has been given at this stage. “The police have preliminary assessed that this is an isolated case. An investigation is underway”underlined Tuesday Lin Jian, a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy.

Unverified videos posted on foreign social media since Monday show several people on the ground receiving treatment, with bloodstains on their clothes and on the ground. Attacks on foreign nationals, particularly Westerners, are extremely rare in China, where the streets are generally very safe at all hours. The number of physical attacks there is infinitely lower than in the United States or Western Europe.

“China is generally recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. It has always taken effective measures and will continue to take relevant measures to effectively protect the safety of all foreigners in China.”, Lin Jian assured. The spokesperson said he was convinced that this incident will have no repercussions on academic exchanges between the two countries.