4 American college instructors injured in stabbing attack in China
NBCMay 30
Four US College Instructors Stabbed in China
Above: The banks of the Songhua River in Jilin, Jilin province of China. Image copyright: Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Four American college instructors Monday were injured in a stabbing at Beishan Park in China, according to their school and officials from both countries. All victims survived and are reportedly in stable condition.
The victims, instructors from Cornell College, a small liberal arts school in Iowa, were teaching in a partnership program with Beihua University in Jilin City, China.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
This gruesome attack is deeply troubling and it forces US officials to reflect on the safety of Americans in China. The victims were fortunate to survive, as video footage of the scene suggests the outcome could have been deadly. The US must continue to monitor the outlook for Americans abroad in the PRC.
Pro-China narrative
US officials are understandably troubled by this, but all evidence suggests that the stabbing was an isolated incident. This event shouldn't impact bilateral relations between the US and China, and China will continue to be one of the safest countries in the world.