BEIJING.- A knife attack left four American university professors injured in northeast China. Authorities detained the suspect, in an incident that the Chinese Foreign Ministry described as “isolated.”
University Cornell College, based in Iowa, reported that the professors were in China as part of an academic exchange program. The United States Department of State confirmed its knowledge of the incident that occurred in Jilin, a city in the province of the same name in the northeast of the Asian country.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that “four foreign professors were attacked while walking in Beishan Park in Jilin.” According to spokesman Lin Jian, the suspect, identified as Cui and 55 years old, was arrested on the same day of the attack.
In addition to the American teachers, a Chinese tourist who tried to intervene was also injured. The five victims are hospitalized and are in stable condition, according to local police.
The White House declared itself “very concerned” on Tuesday about the stabbing of four American university professors who were participating in an academic exchange in northeastern China.
“We are deeply concerned about the stabbing of American citizens in the city of Jilin, China. Our team has been in contact with them and our counterparts in the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to address the needs of the victims and take action.” the necessary security measures,” said the United States national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, on the social network X.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed that “China is generally recognized as one of the safest countries in the world” and reaffirmed the authorities’ commitment to protecting the safety of all foreigners in the country.
Furthermore, the spokesperson stressed that “this isolated incident will not affect the normal development of exchanges between the people of China and the United States.”
Source: With information from AFP
