After delaying for 30 hours, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has officially characterized the stabbing of American teacher Jim in Jilin as an isolated incident. Both Chinese and foreign netizens believe that CCP’s anti-American education led to this tragedy.
On Monday (June 10th) Beijing time, four teachers from Cornell University were stabbed while visiting a park in Jilin, China. They are currently receiving medical treatment.
This incident has been widely covered by several U.S. media outlets. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to China, three Iowa state congressmen, and the governor of Iowa have expressed concern and hope for the victims’ proper treatment and swift return to the U.S.
Despite strict gun control in China, knife attacks are not uncommon. There have been several incidents of knife attacks in public places like schools and hospitals. However, attacks targeting foreigners are rare.
At the time of the Jilin attack on Monday, China was trying to attract international tourists back after implementing strict COVID-19 control measures for three years. At the same time, Beijing hopes to strengthen educational exchanges with the United States to stabilize tense relations.
On Chinese social media platforms subjected to strict censorship, images and discussions related to the attack were swiftly deleted since Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, after the CCP officially classified the incident, internet censorship slightly relaxed, and some limited comments began to emerge.
Some Chinese netizens referred to the attack as “terrible,” while others questioned why the domestic media in China did not report the incident.
Evidently, the CCP officials did not want the Chinese populace to focus on or discuss this matter.
CCP television stations, newspapers, and websites only cited the official announcement released by the CCP authorities 30 hours after the incident, without any alterations. Unofficial reports by outlets like Phoenix Net and NetEase were also removed, including commentary by Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the nationalistic Global Times, who had helped whitewash the incident for the CCP.
Some netizens raised doubts about whether the CCP’s repeatedly inciting anti-foreign and anti-American sentiments might have contributed to this attack.
One mainland Chinese netizen on Weibo wrote, “The stabbing of four Americans was not random; it is a result of China’s anti-American and anti-Japanese education.”
“They criticize every day in the media, and now they have taken action,” a user on Zhihu commented.
A Chinese netizen on social media platform X stated, “This is people’s reaction to (CCP) propaganda, the situation has been deteriorating for years. Due to the CCP’s censorship system, most people have no access to both sides or other viewpoints, coupled with the CCP’s daily propaganda about American and Western ‘suppression’ of China.”
For a long time, the CCP has used official media and the education system to instill the idea of “external forces” trying to suppress China’s rise, portraying countries like the U.S. as adversaries and stoking nationalist sentiments.
Another netizen mentioned, “Psychological studies indicate that media coverage of violent events may trigger ‘copycat crimes,’ where some individuals mimic the criminal behavior reported by the media. Ideological propaganda and hate speech are not harmless; they can incite hatred and even lead to violence. We must address this issue and take measures to address it.”
Some netizens questioned the CCP’s official announcement, saying, “It’s a bit unbelievable that someone would intend to kill with just a collision; it can’t be that simple, right?”
“Who carries a knife while strolling in the park?”
“Now the social situation is not good, the hostility is too strong, hope everyone pays attention, thank you.”
Many Americans expressed prayers for the victims, hoping for their speedy recovery and return to the U.S.
Many stated they were concerned about visiting China and felt insecure.
Robert Spalding, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and retired Air Force brigadier general, commented on X saying, “When (CCP) tells the Chinese people that all Americans are spies, this kind of thing happens.”
Against the backdrop of rising nationalism and anti-American sentiment, some are worried that this attack may affect China’s global image and foreigners’ willingness to travel to China.
An American scholar who lived in China remarked on X, “Over the years, (CCP) anti-foreign racial rhetoric has been increasing, not limited to Americans or national security. This is not incidental but due to official policy.”
The CCP Foreign Ministry on Tuesday labeled the stabbing of the four Cornell University teachers in Jilin as an “isolated incident” and claimed that China is the safest place in the world.
During a press conference, a journalist from Bloomberg pressed CCP Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, “If no one has been arrested so far, how can China determine the assailant’s motive? How can it establish that this is a random event?”
Western netizens commented on this news report saying, “Saying China is a relatively safe tourist destination is solely because police are everywhere. Moreover, given Beijing’s surveillance of Americans’ every move, where were the police or government officials when this incident occurred in the park? Additionally, from the photos, it seems like there weren’t many people willing to help these victims. This is not good for foreigners in China.”
Another Western netizen added, “No one helps the wounded in China because helpers may be accused of causing harm and have to pay compensation for life. Moreover, China’s ‘safety’ is a myth. They carried out speech censorship after the incident occurred. You might think that surveillance would quickly solve the case, but saving face is more important, so the news was suppressed.”
“China is not one of the safest countries in the world, and the anti-foreign and nationalist propaganda there is bound to lead to violence against foreigners,” the netizen added.