China executes man for deadly car rampage, marks nation's deadliest attack in decade

China has executed a man responsible for killing 35 people by driving his car into crowds at a sports center in November, marking the country’s deadliest known attack against the public in a decade.

Fan Weiqiu, 62, was executed just over three weeks after being sentenced to death by a court in Zhuhai, a southern city where the attack took place, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The incident, which occurred on November 11, saw Fan drive his vehicle into people exercising at the Zhuhai Sports Center. Police later found him attempting to harm himself with a knife before taking him to the hospital.

The court found Fan's motives “extremely vile,” noting that his crime was “extremely heinous,” the method particularly cruel, and the consequences severe, causing significant harm to society. The attack was triggered by Fan’s anger over a failed marriage and a divorce settlement he considered unfair.

This incident is part of a wider surge in violent episodes targeting random individuals, including children, which has unsettled a public accustomed to low violent crime rates and extensive surveillance. The attack in Zhuhai marks the highest death toll from such an assault in China since 2014, when a series of attacks in Xinjiang shocked the nation.

On the same day, another execution was reported in Wuxi, where 21-year-old Xu Jiajin was put to death for killing eight people in a stabbing spree at a college campus. Motivated by dissatisfaction over academic and financial matters, Xu's attack occurred just days after the Zhuhai rampage.

The rising incidents of violence have prompted Chinese authorities to enhance security measures and call for swift and severe punishment to deter further attacks. Chinese leader Xi Jinping described the Zhuhai attack as "extremely vicious" and called for harsh retribution.

The two executions received overwhelming support on Chinese social media. On Weibo, an X-like platform, related hashtags amassed millions of views and became top trending topics. “How very satisfying!” one popular comment read, with many others echoing similar sentiments.

While China does not disclose official statistics on the number of executions, it is widely regarded as “the world’s top executioner,” according to human rights organization Amnesty International, which reports that thousands of executions take place annually.

By Vafa Guliyeva