Four U.S. college instructors were victims of a rare violent crime against foreigners in Jilin City, China. The instructors, affiliated with Cornell College in Iowa, were attacked while visiting Beishan Park in the city's northeast. Footage of the aftermath was briefly circulated on Chinese social media before being censored.
Details on the victims' conditions remain scarce, with one reported to be doing well. The motive behind the stabbing is still unknown. The incident occurred on Monday morning, with no involvement of students from the program.
The President of Cornell College confirmed the instructors were part of a partnership with Beishan University. The U.S. State Department is monitoring the situation, acknowledging the rarity of violent crimes against foreigners in China.
While violent crime rates in China are generally low, the incident has sparked concerns among netizens about public security and its impact on foreign visitors. The stabbing comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-China relations, as efforts are made to enhance people-to-people exchanges.
Partnerships between colleges in China and the U.S. are common, with programs like NYU in Shanghai fostering academic collaborations. The U.S. travel advisory for China currently stands at level 3, urging travelers to reconsider their plans due to potential risks of arbitrary law enforcement.
The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Beijing are closely monitoring the situation in Jilin City. Updates on the incident will be provided as more information becomes available.
