China has executed two men convicted of separate deadly attacks, including one who killed 35 people in a car rampage, state media reported Monday. These executions come as the nation grapples with a recent surge in violence targeting the public, CNN reports.
Fan Weiqiu, 62, was executed just over three weeks after receiving a death sentence for driving his car into a crowd at the Zhuhai Sports Center in November. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of 35 people, marked the country’s deadliest known act of violence against the public in a decade.
The court determined Fan’s actions were motivated by his failed marriage and what he perceived as an unfair divorce settlement. He used his small off-road vehicle to ram into dozens of people exercising at the sports center. The attack shocked the nation and prompted calls for swift justice.
In a separate case, Xu Jiajin, 21, was executed in the eastern city of Wuxi for fatally stabbing eight people on a college campus, also in November. Xu, a recent graduate of the vocational college, was driven by “failing (an) exam, not receiving a graduation certificate, and dissatisfaction with internship compensation,” according to police. The attack took place just days after the Zhuhai car rampage.
The recent episodes of public violence have unnerved a Chinese population long accustomed to low violent crime rates and pervasive surveillance. These incidents, which include attacks targeting children, have occurred amid a backdrop of slowing economic growth, further adding to public anxiety.
Chinese officials have responded by increasing security measures and calling for severe punishment for offenders. Leader Xi Jinping described the car rampage as “extremely vicious” and demanded harsh penalties. The executions were met with widespread support on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo.
While China does not provide transparent data on executions, Amnesty International believes it to be “the world’s top executioner,” with thousands of people sentenced to death and executed annually.
