Written by by Laura Zhou at scmp.com
In talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday, Wang reiterated that the stabbing was an “accidental and individual” case.
“China will investigate and handle the case in accordance with the law, and will, as always, ensure the safety of all foreign nationals in China … while the Japanese side should see the case in a calm and rational manner, avoiding politicisation and amplification,” Wang said, according to China’s foreign ministry.
The attack last Wednesday, in which a boy was stabbed while on his way to his Japanese school, has widened division between the two countries, which are at odds over long-standing issues such as wartime history and territorial disputes, as well as Japan’s increasing alignment with the US.
It was the second attack against a Japanese pupil in China within three months, and has ignited a wave of anger in Japan that critics blamed on anti-Japanese sentiment in China through the education system and state-controlled media.
Beijing has rejected claims that China promotes anti-Japanese education.
Kamikawa demanded that Beijing “clarify the facts, including the motive of the perpetrator, as soon as possible and provide a clear explanation … and strictly punish the perpetrator and prevent similar incidents”, according to Japan’s foreign ministry.
During the nearly one-hour meeting, she also urged China to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals.