Attack on Suzhou Japanese School: China First Releases Footage of Guard Hu Youping Collapsed

Chinese officials continue to insist that the attacks on Japanese schools in Suzhou and Shenzhen, which occurred successively in June and September 2024, were "isolated incidents." In contrast, regarding the incident on March 24 this year where a Japanese Self-Defense Force official broke into the Chinese Embassy in Japan with a knife, Chinese officials have repeatedly emphasized its "extremely severe nature and impact," claiming that Japan's right-wing ideology is profoundly affecting Sino-Japanese relations. The report mentioned that footage released by the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China showed Hu Youping seriously injured and collapsed, being resuscitated by medical personnel who had arrived. The on-screen caption described, "When a sharp knife was waved at young children, Hu Youping, with her small stature, held the assailant tightly from behind," and stated that "she built an impregnable safety barrier for more than twenty children with her life." On the afternoon of June 24, 2024, an unemployed man named Zhou Jiasheng, from Anhui and residing in Suzhou, first attacked a Japanese mother and child waiting for a school bus near the Suzhou Japanese School with a knife, injuring them. He then boarded the bus to continue his attack, fatally stabbing Hu Youping, who bravely stepped forward, shocking both Chinese and Japanese societies. Zhou was subsequently arrested, sentenced to death by the court on January 23, 2025, and executed in April of the same year. After Hu Youping's death, Japanese expatriates living in China and some Chinese citizens expressed their condolences, and some Japanese expatriates offered to donate to console the family. However, her family later issued a statement saying they would "not accept donations or gifts, and hoped not to be disturbed further, wishing only for the deceased to rest in peace and for the family to return to a peaceful life as soon as possible." As for the authorities, shortly after the incident, the Suzhou "Evaluation Group for Commendation of Righteous Deeds" on June 27, 2024, proposed to the Suzhou Municipal Government to posthumously award Hu Youping the title of "Suzhou Model of Righteous Deeds," which was formally granted on July 2 of the same year. On July 21, 2025, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China bestowed the title of "National Hero of Righteous Deeds" upon Hu Youping at the 15th "National Commendation Conference for Heroes and Models of Righteous Deeds." (Edited by: Qiu Guojiang / Chen YanJun) 1150406