On Wed., three people were killed and six others injured in a knife attack at a kindergarten in Jiangxi province in southeastern China.
The suspect, who fled the scene, was later identified as Liu Mouhui. Chinese officials described the attacker as a 48-year-old "gangster" wearing a cap and face covering as he stormed into the school.
The true scope of homicides in China cannot be fully known. Police and local officials often face pressure to suppress information about violent crimes from higher authorities. This speaks to an overall lack of transparency when issues of public health, well-being, and safety arise and vital details are scant.
Violent crime is rare in China because the prospect of the death penalty serves as a deterrent. The PRC only applies capital punishment to criminals who have committed extremely heinous crimes. China has a robust criminal justice system, and criticisms under the auspices of "transparency" and "human rights" are unjustified.