Fan Weiqiu was executed for a deliberate SUV rampage in Zhuhai, marking one of China’s deadliest attacks in recent years.
January 20, 2025: China on Monday executed Fan Weiqiu, a 62-year-old man responsible for killing 35 people in a car rampage in the southern city of Zhuhai. The mass attack, carried out on November 11 last year, also left 45 others injured, making it the deadliest such incident in the country since 2014.
Fan deliberately drove a small SUV through a crowd of people exercising outside a sports complex. His actions were deemed by the court as “extremely vile” and “particularly cruel,” with “severe consequences” that caused “significant harm to society.”
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Execution and Trial Details
The Supreme People’s Court issued the execution order, carried out by a Zhuhai court, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Fan was detained at the scene with self-inflicted knife wounds and fell into a coma before being brought to trial.
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During his trial last month, Fan pleaded guilty in front of victims’ families and members of the public. The court stated that Fan acted out of frustration stemming from a failed marriage and disputes over property division after divorce.
Second Execution in Jiangsu
On the same day, a separate execution took place in Jiangsu province. Xu Jiajin, a 21-year-old former student, was executed for a mass stabbing at a vocational school in Wuxi, where he killed eight people and injured 17. Xu’s actions were labeled “extraordinarily serious,” and he was allowed to meet with close relatives before his execution.
Broader Implications
While violent crimes are rarer in China compared to many Western countries, 2024 saw a surge in high-profile attacks, including stabbings and vehicular assaults. These incidents have raised concerns over societal frustrations fueled by economic slowdowns, unemployment, and limited social mobility.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, believe China executes thousands annually, though exact figures remain classified as a state secret.
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China executions, Zhuhai car rampage, Fan Weiqiu, mass stabbing, Jiangsu vocational school attack, public security in China, Chinese justice system, social unrest in China.