China reassures security of Japanese nationals, reaffirming safe business environment

Chinese Vice-Minister of Commerce Ling Ji assured on Tuesday that isolated incidents involving Japanese nationals in China should not be seen as security threats to Japanese citizens or businesses. Such cases should not be used as grounds to question China's business environment, he said.

Speaking at the "Invest in China" foreign investment policy briefing in Tokyo, Ling emphasized that such cases would be handled swiftly and appropriately, while strengthening the protection of foreign nationals' personal and property safety in China.

In June 2024, Hu Youping, a resident of the Chinese city of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, lost her life after attempting to stop a knife attack that injured two Japanese nationals. In September that same year, a 10-year-old Japanese boy died a day after being stabbed while on his way to a Japanese school in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

Ling expressed deep regret and sorrow over the incidents, where students from Japanese schools were attacked.

"China is a country governed by the rule of law, and we will never tolerate illegal or violent acts," he said. "However, I want to emphasize that these were isolated incidents, accidental in nature, and do not indicate that Japanese citizens and businesses in China face security threats. Both cases have now been adjudicated and the verdicts have been announced.

He stressed that China has one of the lowest crime rates and gun violence incidents globally and is widely recognized as one of the safest countries in the world.

Regarding concerns raised by a Japanese business representative about the protection of foreign nationals living and working in China during the policy briefing, Ling said: "We have upgraded security measures for key locations, including foreign embassies and consulates, foreign-invested enterprises, institutions, schools, residential areas with high concentrations of expatriates, frequently visited tourist attractions, bustling commercial districts, hospitals and churches.

"We have strengthened patrols and security measures, increased fixed-point monitoring, and enhanced police presence on the streets. This means that in these areas, it is easy to see police patrols and law enforcement efforts."

Additionally, China has improved its response to incidents involving foreign nationals, ensuring that emergency calls and assistance requests from foreigners in China are promptly handled. Measures include providing multilingual support, quickly identifying and addressing potential security risks, strictly adhering to regulations for handling foreign-related cases, and facilitating consular services for diplomatic personnel, Ling said.

He added that China's National Immigration Administration has established over 300 service centers for foreigners across the country and launched a 24-hour hotline (12367) to provide legal consultations, policy guidance, and other convenient services consultations.

"The previously mentioned incidents should not be used to question China's business environment. We will handle them properly and promptly while further strengthening the protection of foreign nationals' personal and property safety in China," he said.