Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that diplomatic vice ministers from China and Japan met in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, to address the heartbreaking death of a Japanese child who was fatally attacked by a Chinese national on his way to school.
During a regular briefing, Lin Jian, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, reported that on Monday morning, Vice Minister Sun Weidong met with Yoshifumi Tsuge, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Lin Jian further noted, “Concerning the death of the boy from the Shenzhen Japanese School, the two sides recognized each other’s effort to properly and calmly handle the tragic incident, and agreed to maintain communication to prevent negative impact of individual case on the bilateral ties.”
During a briefing, a Japanese media outlet asked if China planned to take thorough action against anti-Japanese comments on Chinese social media following a request from Japan. He responded, “On what you referred to as ‘anti-Japan ‘comments, let me just say that China does not teach its people to hate Japan.”
When a Hong Kong media outlet inquired about the significance of over 1,000 bouquets of flowers placed by locals at the entrance of a Japanese school in Shenzhen following an incident, Lin asserted, “The fact that Chinese people are expressing their condolences of their own accord reflects their simplest sentiments of grief and their respect for life.” He emphasized, “And we will do everything possible to protect the safety and property of foreign nationals in China.”
However, when Lin was asked whether additional information about the motive for the crime would be released, he did not respond, stating only that the investigation was still ongoing.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tsuge, who traveled to China following the incident, urged Vice Minister Sun to offer a comprehensive account of the crime, including its motive. Tsuge also called for specific measures to guarantee the safety of Japanese citizens and to prevent similar tragedies in the future. He emphasized the need for thorough actions against unfounded and malicious anti-Japanese posts on Chinese social media platforms.
In his response, Sun reiterated his condolences and assured that necessary support would be extended to the bereaved family. “We will ensure the safety of foreigners, including Japanese citizens, residing in China,” he stated. “Children are a priority to protect in every country, and China was shocked by this incident. We firmly oppose and will crack down on any violence.”
The tragic incident occurred earlier on September 18, when a 10-year-old Japanese boy attending a Japanese school in Shenzhen was attacked and killed by a Chinese assailant near the school gate while on his way to class.
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