CHINA: A 10-year-old boy, a dual citizen of Japan and China, succumbed to injuries after being stabbed while on his way to school in Shenzhen on Wednesday (18 September) morning.

The incident has raised alarms within the Japanese community in China and could further strain already tense Sino-Japanese relations.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the boy was attacked in the abdomen near a Japanese school and was transported to a hospital for emergency treatment.

Despite efforts to save him, he died of his wounds early Thursday.

The assailant, a 44-year-old man, was arrested by police near the scene.

The motivations behind the attack remain unclear, and it is uncertain whether the boy was specifically targeted due to his nationality.

A local Japanese businessman expressed concerns for the safety of the community, advising vigilance and caution when speaking Japanese in public spaces.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the stabbing as an “extremely despicable crime” and called for prompt information sharing from Beijing regarding the investigation.

昨日、中国広東省深圳市で男に襲われた深圳日本人学校の児童が、１９日未明に逝去されたとの報告を受けており、深い悲しみを禁じ得ません。心からのお悔やみを申し上げます。
極めて卑劣な犯行であり、重大かつ深刻な事案と受け止めています。

— 岸田文雄 (@kishida230) September 19, 2024

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, represented by spokesman Lin Jian, expressed condolences and emphasized the commitment to protecting foreign nationals in China.

Lin noted that such incidents could occur in any country and downplayed the potential impact on bilateral exchanges.

Eyewitness accounts described the chaotic scene, with the boy receiving immediate medical attention from passersby.

His mother was present during the attack.

This incident follows a similar knife attack in Suzhou in June, which left a Japanese mother and child injured.

In response to both attacks, Japanese officials have reiterated their demand for enhanced safety measures for their nationals in China.

Wednesday also marked the 93rd anniversary of a significant historical event—Japan’s bombing of a railroad track near Shenyang, which contributed to the Manchurian Incident and subsequent occupation of northeastern China during World War II.

In light of this, Japan had previously requested the Chinese government to bolster security at Japanese schools.

In mourning, Japan’s Ambassador to China, Kenji Kanasugi, ordered the national flag at the embassy to be flown at half-staff and planned to visit Shenzhen to meet the victim’s family.

The Japanese consulate in Guangzhou reported that local government officials had also extended their condolences.

Community responses in Shenzhen reflected a mix of shock and sorrow, with residents leaving flowers at the entrance of the Japanese school.

One local expressed shame over the incident as a Chinese national, while another voiced concern over the implications for Sino-Japanese relations.

As diplomatic tensions have already been heightened by issues such as espionage allegations against Japanese nationals and trade disputes, including a ban on Japanese seafood following the Fukushima disaster, this tragic event may exacerbate existing challenges.

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China has urged both governments to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens and seek clarity on the incident.

The investigation into the stabbing continues, with officials pledging to hold the perpetrator accountable under Chinese law.

CHINA: On Thursday (19 September), a social media user shared a video showing a giant panda named Ding Ding (丁丁) knocking down a zookeeper at Chongqing Zoo.

In response to inquiries, zoo staff confirmed that both the zookeeper and the 9-year-old panda were unharmed and that Ding Ding continues to be exhibited as usual.

The video, circulated on Chinese social media platform Weibo, shows a zookeeper noticing that Ding Ding was attempting to escape through a partially open gate. The zookeeper rushed to close the gate, which produced a loud noise.

However, the gate wasn’t fully secured, and Ding Ding can be seen trying to open it again.

Visitors alerted the zookeeper, who rushed back to shut the gate.

This action seemingly agitated the panda, who then turned its attention toward the zookeeper.

During a brief chase, Ding Ding knocked down the zookeeper.

In the footage, some visitors can be heard advising others to stay calm and avoid shouting.

This is not the first such incident at the zoo.

In April 2024, another panda knocked over another zookeeper.

The zoo’s management reported that on 23 April, at around 2:00 PM, a zookeeper was guiding two pandas, Yu Ke (渝可) and Yu Ai (渝爱), to a feeding area when they chased and knocked the zookeeper down.

Fortunately, neither the zookeeper nor the pandas were injured.

Following that event, the zoo held a safety meeting and implemented stricter feeding protocols to prevent similar incidents.

Chongqing Zoo is home to 23 giant pandas.

According to Chongqing Daily, the panda enclosure, which has undergone three rounds of expansion and renovation, now covers nearly 20,000 square meters and is one of the earliest panda breeding centers in China.