China has carried out the execution of a man responsible for the deaths of 35 people after driving his car into crowds at a sports center in November, marking the deadliest public attack in the country in over a decade, according to state media reports on Monday.
Fan Weiqiu, 62, was executed just over three weeks after receiving a death sentence from a court in Zhuhai, the southern city where the attack occurred.
Recent months in China have seen a spike in violent incidents targeting random individuals, including children. This unsettling trend has emerged against the backdrop of slowing economic growth, alarming a public accustomed to low violent crime rates and extensive surveillance.
In response, authorities have heightened security measures and emphasized swift and severe punishment for offenders in an effort to deter such attacks.
On Monday, state media also reported the execution of another man in Wuxi, an eastern city, for a stabbing spree that left eight people dead at a college campus in November.
The attacker, 21-year-old Xu Jiajin, was reportedly driven by frustration over failing an exam, not receiving his graduation certificate, and dissatisfaction with his internship compensation, according to a police statement at the time.
The Wuxi stabbing occurred just days after the car rampage in Zhuhai, which had already shocked the nation.
Fan, the Zhuhai attacker, carried out the rampage on November 11, motivated by anger over a failed marriage and what he perceived as an unjust divorce settlement, according to the court’s findings.
Driving his small off-road vehicle, Fan targeted people exercising on the grounds of the Zhuhai Sports Center, hitting dozens. When police attempted to stop him, they found him trying to harm himself with a knife inside his car. He was subsequently taken to the hospital.
During sentencing, the court described Fan’s actions as having “extremely vile motives” and being “heinous in nature, particularly cruel in method, and causing severe consequences with great societal harm,” state media reported.
The attack resulted in the highest death toll for a violent incident in China since 2014, when a series of attacks occurred in the Xinjiang region. China’s strict gun control laws and advanced surveillance systems contribute to its reputation for having one of the lowest rates of violent crime globally.
The two executions received widespread support on Chinese social media platforms. On Weibo, hashtags related to the news amassed millions of views and became trending topics.
“How very satisfying!” read one of the top comments, with many users echoing similar sentiments.
While China does not disclose official data on executions, it is widely regarded as the leading country for capital punishment, with thousands of executions and death sentences carried out annually, according to Amnesty International.
Hong Kong, CNN.
