Spate of mass killings in China sparks questions over nation's mental health

Beijing: A series of violent attacks in China, a country that prides itself on its public security, including the deadliest mass killing in a decade, has triggered an online discussion about the nation's mental health.

Below is a list of the biggest mass attacks in the country in recent years:

May 22, 2014 - Urumqi, Xinjiang region

Four men drove two SUVs into crowds of shoppers in a busy market and threw explosives out of the car windows, killing themselves and 39 others.

September 30 – October 1, 2015 - Liuzhou, southern China

In a series of bombings, a 33-year-old man killed 10 people and injured 51 during a water festival. The suspect died in one of the bombings, police said. He had sent more than a dozen package bombs to locations such as shopping malls, hospitals and government buildings.

January 5, 2016 - Yinchuan, northwestern China

A man carried out an arson attack on a bus, killing 17 people and injuring 32.

September 12, 2018 - Hengyang, southern China

A man rammed his car into a crowd in a public square and attacked people at the scene with a folding shovel and a dagger, killing 11 and injuring 44. According to the police, the suspect had been convicted multiple times for drug trafficking, theft and harming others, which led to a "desire for revenge against society".

July 7, 2020 - Anshun, southwestern China

A 52-year-old man drove a bus into a lake, killing 21 people and injuring 15. According to police, the bus driver was dissatisfied with his life and resentful over the demolition of public housing he rented.

January 11, 2023 - Guangzhou, southern China

A 22-year-old man rammed his car into a crowd in the business district, causing five deaths and 13 injuries. According to the court, the suspect had huge debts and had carried out the crime to “vent personal emotions”.

June 11, 2024 - Jilin, northeast China

A 55-year-old local man wounded four American instructors from a small Iowa university in a public park. The officials took more than 24 hours to disclose the attack and Chinese social media was scrubbed of images of the attack.

June 24, 2024 - Suzhou, eastern China

An unemployed man in his 50s wounded three people in a knife attack on a Japanese school bus. A Japanese boy and his mother were injured and a Chinese employee who tried to protect the students died. State media and major social media platforms condemned “extreme nationalism” after the attack.

September 18, 2024 - Shenzhen, southern China

A 10-year-old Japanese student was fatally stabbed on his way to school by a 44-year-old unemployed man. The attack took place on the anniversary of an incident in 1931 that triggered war between China and Japan.

September 30, 2024 - Shanghai, eastern China

In a suburban supermarket, a 37-year-old man killed three people and injured 15 in a knife attack. According to an initial investigation by the police, the suspect had travelled to Shanghai to vent his anger following a personal financial dispute.

October 8, 2024 - Guangzhou, southern China

A 60-year-old man conducted a knife attack in front of a primary school in the central area of the city. Three were injured, including two primary school students. The suspect had previously been convicted of attempted murder for stabbing his ex-girlfriend and was released from prison in March after serving his sentence.

October 28, 2024 - Beijing

A 50-year-old man wounded five people including three minors in a knife attack near one of the city’s top primary schools in Haidian district at the school dismissal time.

November 11, 2024 - Zhuhai, southern China

A 62-year-old man killed 35 people and severely injured 43 by driving a car into a crowd at a sports centre. Police said he had been upset about the split of assets in his divorce settlement.

November 16, 2024 - Wuxi, eastern China

A former student went on a stabbing rampage at a vocational college, killing eight people and injuring 17, police said. They said he was angry over not getting his graduation certificate and failing an exam.