Recently in Zhuhai, a car-ramming incident resulted in dozens of casualties. On November 13th, when questioned about the incident by foreign journalists, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that “China is one of the safest countries in the world with one of the lowest crime rates.” This statement sparked mockery among netizens online.
During a routine press conference on the afternoon of the 13th, the car-ramming incident in Zhuhai became a focal point of foreign media inquiries. A foreign journalist raised concerns about the case garnering international attention and a series of similar attacks in China lately, asking if this would affect China’s appeal to foreign tourists and others.
The spokesperson, Lin Jian, did not directly address the question but emphasized that “there were no casualties among foreign citizens” in this incident. He continued to reiterate the narrative by stating China is “one of the safest countries with the lowest crime rates in the world.”
When another foreign journalist asked for a comment on the warning issued by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the Zhuhai incident, advising Japanese citizens to take precautions when traveling in China, Lin Jian reiterated that China “absolutely does not allow any illegal violent acts and continues to protect the safety of all foreign citizens within the country in accordance with the law.”
The car ramming incident at the Zhuhai Sports Center in Guangdong Province occurred on the evening of November 11th, coinciding with the eve of the “Zhuhai Airshow.” Following the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued instructions to quell community disputes nationwide, and related information was immediately suppressed. The next day, the “Zhuhai Special Zone Daily” did not report on the incident.
The hollow and boastful remarks from the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson sparked ridicule among netizens: “China’s supposedly low crime rate is because they raise the threshold for what constitutes a crime.” “They are shameless.” “How can they shamelessly argue in the face of the deceased without any apology, all their statements are empty.” “It’s because of this evil party and government that China is the most insecure country in the world.” “Low crime rates are due to the government’s cover-ups. Officials bullying the people, underworld activities, nepotism – none of these are considered crimes.”
Some netizens bluntly stated, “The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson is one of the most shameless creatures in the world, bar none.” “Indeed, if you remove the spokesperson, the entire Foreign Ministry is composed of shameless individuals.”
In recent years, China has seen a surge in violent incidents, with three attacks on foreigners in China this year alone. Particularly in September, the stabbing death of a 9-year-old student in Shenzhen triggered panic among Japanese residents in China, leading to many Japanese companies withdrawing from China. Scholars suggest that this incident may further strain Sino-Japanese relations.