China Executes Two Men for Deadly Revenge Attacks

In a significant legal development, China has executed Fan Weiqu and Xu Jiajin for their roles in tragic incidents of violence that stemmed from personal dissatisfaction. Fan Weiqu, aged 62, was responsible for a car attack in Zhuhai that claimed the lives of 35 individuals outside a sports stadium—a grim incident that marked the deadliest in over a decade. Authorities determined that Fan acted out of anger related to property disputes following his divorce, and he was apprehended at the scene with self-inflicted injuries.

Similarly, 21-year-old Xu Jiajin executed a stabbing rampage at his vocational school in Wuxi, resulting in the deaths of eight and injuries to 17 others. The police indicated that Xu's attack was fueled by despair over failing his exams and frustration with his low internship pay. Both men received their death sentences from the local courts in December 2024, which received the approval of China's Supreme People’s Court.

The emergence of these troubling revenge-inspired crimes has escalated concerns about a growing trend in societal violence, with reports indicating that there were 19 similar incidents in China in 2024 alone. Other recent incidents, including one where a man drove into a group of schoolchildren, highlight the alarming nature of these attacks, often linked to personal hardship or financial failure.

Following these violent occurrences, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on local officials to take proactive measures to prevent further incidents and address the underlying issues driving such extreme behavior. Experts suggest that the mounting pressure from economic challenges and the rising cost of living may be contributing to the frustrations felt by individuals, leading to a spike in violent acts. Economist George Magnus pointed out that there seems to be increasing tension within society, which shows no signs of alleviating.

China is known for its significant number of executions, reportedly executing more individuals annually than the total for the rest of the world combined, though the exact figures remain a state secret. Traditionally, executions in China have been carried out by firearm, although lethal injections have become more common in recent years.