China executes man behind deadliest attack in a decade
What's the story
China executed two men on Monday for separate deadly attacks in November.
The first, Fan Weiqiu, 62, was sentenced to death for killing 35 people and injuring 45 others by driving his SUV into a crowd outside a sports complex in Zhuhai on November 11.
The court described Fan's attack as having "extremely vile" motives and "particularly cruel" methods.
Motive revealed
Fan's personal grievances led to deadly attack
Reportedly, Fan's actions stemmed from personal grievances over a broken marriage and dissatisfaction over property division after divorce.
He pleaded guilty at his trial last month, which was attended by victims' families and members of the public.
The court found that he "decided to vent his anger" over these issues, concluding that his methods were "particularly cruel," and the consequences "particularly severe," posing significant harm to society.
Separate case
Second execution for mass stabbing at vocational school
In a separate case, 21-year-old former student Xu Jiajin was executed for a mass stabbing at a vocational school in Wuxi, Jiangsu province.
Xu killed eight people and wounded 17 others in the attack.
He was sentenced to death in December after the court deemed his crime "extraordinarily serious."
Before his execution, Xu was allowed to meet with close relatives.
Societal impact
Public shock and societal discussions in China
Both executions were carried out on orders of the Supreme People's Court, with Fan's execution supervised by the municipal public prosecutor as per legal procedures.
The incidents have shocked the public and sparked discussions on societal issues in China, including frustrations over economic conditions and social mobility challenges.
Violent crimes like these are rare in China than in many Western countries but have raised concerns about public security under the ruling Communist Party.