Rising Knife Attacks in China Highlight Deepening Social Malaise

A still image from a video that captured an indiscriminate knife attack that took place in Tiexi District of Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. Video screenshot

Analysis

Chinese society has of late been marked by a troubling surge in indiscriminate violence, highlighted by two random stabbing incidents in early July and a reported tally claiming at least 55 people killed in knife-related assaults over the last two months.

In the small town of Youma, Guiping City, Guangxi Province, a harrowing scene unfolded near a local middle school on July 4 with videos posted on X showing the aftermath, with at least four individuals suffering from head wounds, one of whom lay motionless. Notably, the victims included at least two minors.

Following the incident, local police warned against sharing the footage, intimidating villagers with threats of legal action for spreading videos “not verified” by the authorities.

Details about the assailant remain scarce as local authorities have yet to disclose information regarding the perpetrator’s capture or motives.

On the same day, another incident occurred on Xinghua South Street in Tiexi District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. A disturbing video shared on X shows a bald man in grey attire nonchalantly smoking a cigarette while wielding a large, curved knife, causally attacking residents of the neighborhood. Several residents were bloodied and helpless.

The Tiexi Branch of the Shenyang Public Security Bureau later reported the arrest of the suspect, identified only by his surname, Wang.

The violent spree resulted in three fatalities and one injury. Police have attributed Wang’s actions to his “history of mental illness”—a claim often met with skepticism by the public, who see it as a possible attempt by officials to deflect deeper scrutiny of such incidents.

Such attacks have ignited debates about the underlying causes and the adequacy of the official responses to such acts of violence.

Reflection of Societal Issues

Many believe that such frequent knife attacks in China are symptomatic of a deeper malaise within Chinese society, but authorities often attribute these violent acts to “mental illness.” This label, applied to a range of assaults from school bullying to mass murders, ostensibly absolves perpetrators of responsibility, according to Lai Jianping, a former Beijing lawyer and chairman of the Federation for a Democratic China, a Canada-based human rights group.

“The label ’mental illness’ is frequently employed by Chinese police as a pretext in outlandish cases,” Mr. Lai told The Epoch Times. “In such instances, authorities routinely dismiss the issues as stemming from ’mental illness’ or a ‘problematic mindset,’ using these claims as a catch-all shield that seemingly detaches the incidents from the CCP’s autocratic governance.”

Mr. Lai said that, over the years, the CCP has either been inactive or acted with recklessness. Due to the detrimental policies of the supreme leadership, the national economy has suffered a downturn, plunging the populace into dire straits. A significant number of citizens are grappling with what he describes as “profound despair, pervasive fear, and general dissatisfaction, resulting in intense societal resentment.”

He added that the current climate in Chinese society is marked by alarming acts such as “assaults in public spaces, homicides in kindergartens, vehicular attacks on crowds, and arson on public transport—symptoms of a deeply afflicted society.”

The narrative contrasts sharply with the claims of Chinese officials, including a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, who recently proclaimed China as “one of the safest countries in the world” yet provided no data to substantiate this claim. Despite these assertions, an unofficial tally of recent knife-related incidents in China tells a different story.

According to information available to the public, from May 7 to July 4, there were over 40 reported knife-related assaults in China, resulting in at least 55 deaths and 48 injuries, in addition to other types of homicides. While these figures are unofficial, Chinese authorities do not publicly release such statistics, leaving the public to gather this information independently.

Incidents of violence over seemingly trivial matters further underscore this volatility. In a video that has gone viral online, a minor dispute rapidly escalated into a knife fight when one individual inadvertently splashed another while sweeping water. The brawl soon involved multiple family members, illustrating how quickly everyday frustrations can spiral into deadly confrontations.

The public’s reaction to such violence appears increasingly numb. In one episode inside a bank, a murder unfolded while bystanders continued their transactions undisturbed. This indifference speaks volumes about the normalization of violence in daily life, some commentators say.

‘Revenge on Society’

Chen Weijian, editor-in-chief of “Beijing Spring” magazine and a political commentator, attributes the rise in violent incidents in China to a trio of societal failings: a lack of moral and political integrity, economic struggles, and the marginalization of individuals.

According to Mr. Chen’s analysis, many of these individuals, who are bereft of hope and devoid of social or emotional support, turn to extreme measures—some choosing suicide, others exacting revenge on society.

Mr. Chen also draws historical parallels, noting a stark contrast between past and present motivations for violence. Whereas historical uprisings targeted corrupt officials, today’s acts of violence often harm innocent civilians, reflecting a distorted outlet for societal grievances.

He argues that the systematic suppression of conscientious individuals and intellectuals since the “Anti-Rightist Campaign” in the 1950s has eroded the notion of justice in society, leaving no constructive avenue for addressing grievances.

The campaign, launched in 1957 by communist leader Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), was a political purge aimed at consolidating power and silencing criticism.

A Chinese performer dresses in the Communist revolutionary "Red" guard uniform, points a mock gun at a statue of a prisoner wearing a placard which says, "Beat down the landlord group," at a theme village depicting a "Cultural Revolution" rehabilitation camp, in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia region on October 24, 2009. Sixty years after founding the People's Republic of China, the communist regime is keeping the revolutionary fires burning while promoting its version of history through "red tourism" destinations, with state-run media trumpeting the destinations as a huge success, attracting hundreds of millions of visitors keen to learn more about their rulers' rise to power. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO Photo credit should read AFP/AFP via Getty Images

Initiated after the Hundred Flowers Campaign, where intellectuals were encouraged to voice their concerns about the communist regime, the Anti-Rightist Campaign marked a dramatic reversal.

It targeted intellectuals, academics, and others who were critical of the Party’s policies, labeling them as “rightists.” This label led to severe consequences, including public humiliation, imprisonment, forced labor, and execution. Overall, an estimated 2 million people were persecuted during this campaign, drastically stifling intellectual and academic freedom in China.

Ning Xin contributed to this article.