This week on Monday, June 24th, two Japanese nationals were attacked in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, and a Chinese woman named Hu Youping bravely intervened to stop the assailant. On the 26th, Hu succumbed to her injuries and passed away. The Japanese Embassy in China lowered its flag on the 28th to pay tribute to Hu Youping.
According to a report from the Hangzhou City Express under “Orange Persimmon Interactive,” it was learned from Suzhou officials that Hu Youping, who intervened to prevent the attacker from targeting Japanese women and children in the Suzhou stabbing incident on June 24th, passed away on the 26th due to her severe injuries.
The Japanese Embassy in China released a statement on its social media platforms on the 28th: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of Ms. Hu Youping, who bravely protected innocent women and children from the attacker. We deeply mourn her loss and believe that her courage and kindness represent the people of China. We salute Ms. Hu for her noble act and may she rest in peace.”
The Japanese Embassy in China also posted a picture of lowering the flag in tribute to Hu Youping.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama posted on X to thank Hu Youping, praising her courageous act and praying for her soul to rest in peace.
On the afternoon of the 24th, a stabbing incident occurred at the Xindi Center Bus Stop on Tayuan Road in Suzhou High-Tech Zone. A Japanese woman in her thirties and her son were waiting for another child to come home from school when they were stabbed by a 52-year-old unemployed man named Zhou who recently arrived in Suzhou. Hu Youping was also injured while trying to stop the attacker. Currently, both Japanese nationals are out of danger.
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that Hu Youping first grabbed the attacker and then hugged him from behind. The attacker stabbed her, causing her to fall to the ground, but he continued to pursue the attack. Witnesses stated that if the attacker had not been stopped, more people could have been injured.
Amid a high level of public attention, Hu Youping’s courageous act was recognized as a “model of heroism.”
It was reported online that residents of Suzhou visited the Xindi Center Bus Stop on Tayuan Road to lay flowers in memory of Hu Youping. Mainland Chinese media confirmed this, stating that individuals claiming to be staff guided the public to place chrysanthemums in a nearby commercial vehicle, which were then collectively taken to a funeral home.
Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, expressed regret over the incident and offered condolences to Hu Youping’s unfortunate passing. Responding to the heightened attention surrounding the incident, Mao Ning stated that Hu Youping’s death was a cause for mourning.
Earlier this month, there was another stabbing incident involving foreigners in China. Four American university teachers were stabbed in Beishan Park, Jilin City, Jilin Province. Regarding both of these incidents, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs classified them as “isolated events.”
On June 25th, veteran Japanese media personality Akio Yabuta posted on Facebook expressing concern among foreigners in China due to such incidents. Many believe that this is related to the recent promotion of “anti-foreign sentiment” by the Chinese Communist Party. On mainland Chinese social media, some even referred to the attackers targeting foreigners, especially Japanese individuals, as “heroes.” This may likely be a contributing factor to the recurring tragedies.
(A snippet from a previous report: Japanese government attentive to the stabbing incident involving a Japanese mother and son in Suzhou.)