11-6-2024 (IOWA) In a shocking turn of events, four Iowa college instructors teaching in China were victims of a reported stabbing attack while visiting a public park, according to statements from Cornell College and the U.S. State Department on Monday.
Cornell College President Jonathan Brand confirmed the disturbing incident, revealing that the instructors were at the park accompanied by a faculty member from Beihua University when the attack unfolded. Cornell spokesperson Jen Visser shed light on the partnership between the private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and Beihua University, located near Jilin City in northeastern China.
While the State Department acknowledged being aware of reports concerning the stabbing, crucial details surrounding the extent of the instructors’ injuries and the nature of the attack – whether targeted or random – remained unclear as of Monday. Visser stated that the college was still gathering information on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
U.S. Representative Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks of Iowa took to social media, expressing her efforts to reach the U.S. Embassy to ensure the victims receive prompt medical care and facilitate their safe return to the United States as soon as possible.
The attack comes at a delicate juncture in U.S.-China relations, as both nations seek to maintain people-to-people exchanges to prevent further deterioration of bilateral ties. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently unveiled an ambitious plan to invite 50,000 young Americans to China over the next five years, while Chinese diplomats have voiced concerns that a travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department has discouraged Americans from visiting China.
Citing arbitrary detentions and exit bans that could prevent Americans from leaving the country, the State Department has issued a Level 3 travel advisory – the second-highest warning level – for mainland China, urging Americans to “reconsider travel” there. This advisory has prompted some American universities to suspend their China programs.
