China executes man for car rampage that killed dozens

In a shocking event in China, a man named Fan Weiqiu was executed for a horrific crime that resulted in the deaths of at least 35 people. This tragic incident occurred in November when Fan drove his car into a crowd outside a stadium in the southern city of Zhuhai. This attack is considered one of the deadliest in China in the past decade. Following the attack, Fan was apprehended by the police, who discovered that he had inflicted wounds on himself. Reports indicate that Fan was motivated by deep dissatisfaction regarding the division of his property after his divorce. His actions were described by the authorities as stemming from a place of anger and frustration. The Zhuhai Intermediate People's Court found him guilty of endangering public safety, labeling his motives as 'extremely vile' and his methods as 'particularly cruel. ' Just a month after being sentenced to death, Fan was executed on a Monday. In a separate but equally tragic case, another man named Xu Jiajin, aged 21, was also executed for a different attack that took place shortly after Fan's. Xu killed eight people in the eastern city of Wuxi. His actions were reportedly driven by his failure to obtain a diploma due to poor exam results. Xu confessed to his crime without hesitation when questioned by the police. The court deemed the circumstances of his crime as 'particularly bad' and 'extremely serious,' leading to his death sentence just a day after his conviction. Human rights organizations have raised concerns about China's use of the death penalty, claiming that the country is the world's leading executioner, with thousands of executions occurring each year. However, the Chinese government does not disclose specific figures regarding the death penalty, making it difficult to ascertain the true number of executions. In recent years, China has faced a troubling trend of public violence, with many attackers believed to be motivated by personal grievances. In 2024 alone, there were 19 such attacks reported across the country. Following the attacks in Zhuhai and Wuxi, another incident occurred outside a primary school in Changde city, where a man named Huang Wen injured 30 people. Huang was reportedly seeking to express his anger after suffering investment losses and dealing with family conflicts. He was arrested last month and could face life imprisonment if he does not commit another crime within the next two years. The increasing number of violent incidents has raised questions about how individuals in China are coping with various sources of stress, particularly in light of the country's sluggish economy. Economist George Magnus from Oxford University's China Centre noted that tensions appear to be escalating, and there seems to be no immediate relief in sight.