Jane Macartney in Beijing
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Two people were killed and 13 wounded yesterday when two blasts ripped through buses running along the same route in Kunming, southwest China.
The attacks came three weeks before the opening of the Olympics in Beijing, which the authorities have said could be a target for terrorist attacks. Such violence is rare in China, which has a reputation as one of the safest countries in the world – in part because of the powers wielded by the police. Police have yet to identify any suspects.
The first explosion rocked a bus just after 7am as it was going through the city. One person was killed and nine were wounded. One resident of a nearby apartment block told The Times: “I just heard one explosion but it sounded huge, several times more powerful than the sound of a tyre exploding. A few minutes later I heard police car sirens and ambulances and I saw the ambulances taking away injured people.
“At the time people didn’t panic. Everyone just seemed to be in shock.”
About an hour later a blast tore through another bus on the same route, killing one person and wounding four. Television footage showed a gaping hole in the side of one of the buses near the front and glass scattered in the street.
A spokesman for the Yunnan province Public Security Bureau said: “According to preliminary investigations, the explosions were cases of man-made, deliberate sabotage.”
One of the dead was Wang Dezhi, a 29-year-old woman from the nearby Sichuan province, who had been working at a sauna in the city. Her husband, Han Guangming, was slightly hurt. The couple had taken the day off work to visit their five-year-old daughter on her birthday. Mr Han said: “My wife is gone and I’m injured. I feel it is the end of the world.”
Police experts were sent to the city from Beijing and reported that the explosive devices were made from ammonium nitrate, a compound ingredient of fertiliser. Witnesses described seeing a huge amount of smoke but saw no flames. One of the injured said that one of the victims died instantly, the body almost split in half by the force of the blast.
China has occasionally witnessed bus explosions staged by disgruntled farmers or laid-off workers wanting to air grievances over poverty, demolitions or corruption. The use of a fertiliser ingredient could make it more likely that a farmer, possibly resentful over the appropriation of land for building houses or for industrial developments, may be behind the explosion.
The Kunming blasts came two days after Yunnan police killed two rubber farmers in Menglian county in a clash in which 41 police officers were injured. The violence was sparked when police tried to arrest five people in Menglian for allegedly attacking a local rubber company in a dispute between farmers and a private company.
Chinese authorities have directed officials to redress grievances of local residents and act on complaints to ensure a “harmonious social atmosphere” in the Olympics period.
The country has, however, struggled to curb unrest. In June 30,000 residents rioted in Wengan, Guizhou province, after allegations spread that police had covered up the rape and murder of a local teenage girl. China says that a serious terrorism threat is posed by Muslim militants in the restive region of Xinjiang, in the north west of the country.
Simmering unrest
January Thousands protest in People’s Square in Shanghai against planned rail extensions. As demonstrations are banned, it is called a sanbu or “walk”. Others gather in a spontaneous “shop” on the main streets. The extension is delayed
June A police headquarters is set alight in a 30,000-strong protest in Guizhou over the alleged cover-up of a teenager’s death. Police arrest 117 people. The head of public security is sacked in recognition of the protesters’ grievances
July Police close a road outside Xinjian elementary school, where hundreds of children died in the earthquake, to prevent parents from protesting. In Deyang hundreds demonstrate, demanding an investigation
Friday Hundreds of migrant workers attack a police station in Zhejiang, eastern China, during three days of unrest prompted by the alleged beating of a man applying for a residence permit
SaturdayTwo protesters are killed and 13 policemen injured in a demonstration by 400 residents in Menglian county
Source: Times Archive
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on the one child policy. (since the economic boom, if parents are willing to subsizide the government for a second child's education, they can have one, if there was a genetic defect, remarrying, or the last heir in a family line, then another child is also allowed.)
Tony Hsieh, Shanghai ,
It's useless to discuss points of view with anyone who has no true experience with China. 1. one child policy - India did not have this control, and now the school to child ratio is so skew, their middle class (the voice of demacracy), is shrinking by proportion. China's resources only supported 1.
Tony Hsieh, Shanghai ,
Not excusing what countries have had to do for the good of it self (I guess you can call that selfish or nationalistic), but anyone who has played Risk understands why China has a Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and North Korea as border territories. Cuba is US's Tibet. Hope its a safe Olympics
Tony Hsieh, Shanghai ,
Lim, India has a billion people as well, largest democracy in the world so there goes that argument. What next, most Chinese are short so we need control. Sorry your feeble attempt to support a dictatorship is full of holes and has little credibility.
Lloyd, London,
Lim, in closing you want me to watch The Chinese state run, propaganda TV channel to learn about China politics and people? My visits to China over the last 20 years counts for nothing and I should believe a TV station, or maybe the Chinese news paper- YES I read, write and speak Mandarin
Lloyd, London,
Pete, Cov I think you have lots the plot. I did not mention 9/11 ? what sort of strange comment was that. 9/11 was an attack on the USA by outside forces. This I am sure will be an attack from inside Chine due to the oppressive regime
Lloyd, London,
Lloyd, London,
You are obviously confused. ELIC is in Beijing, China (Olympic venue), Joy in Hebei,China and I am from Malaysia a different country. Our views are similar and we write to right the wrongs the west has of China. BTW The Chinese govt. has its own official spokespersons.
240708
Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Lloyd, London,
With 1.3 B people some control is necessary. There is freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The level may not be up to your expectation but acceptable to the Chinese. Can't get all in this space. You will need to read or see Chinese documentaries to know more. How abt CCTV9
Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
John, Atlanta GA. USA said: "China has the largest number of executions of any country in the world."
Assuming this to be true, I believe it is still small proportionately compared to the US. China has 1.3 billion people, what is the population of the States?
Who kill more people this century?
Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
ELIC, you did not answer the question, not that you had too. In any case no nation has clean hands if looking at the past however China still carries out these atrocities today, this is modern China I am talking of. Why is China so afraid of a Tibetan flag and some monks or the Internet?
Lloyd, London,
ELIC, the more I read from you Lim and now Joy the more I become convinced you are all sitting together typing this rubbish courtesy of the Chineses Government. I am sure what I see in China is not as bad as I think but I see old men fighting to hold onto power at all costs.
Lloyd, London,
ELIC- what false info does the UK write about China, PLEASE tell us. Are we wrong about the one child policy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, labour camps, highest abortion rate in the world, is the Tibet flag not banned do you have free access to the Internet et al are we all wrong?
Lloyd, London,
If you have never been to China and lived in China for a long time,please don't belive the inveracious opinions on public .In China,everyone loves our country deeply.Please don't believe someone who always decry China.
Joy, HeBei, China
The Olympic Games in Beijing is about to open.Welcome to Beijing! I want to say --we are friendly to everyone who is friendly to us.
Joy, Hebei, China
I was born in China and I have lived in China for nearly 18 years.I think I have a voice in the Chinese situation.I have never seen anyone who has no workers rights,no freedom of speech or no freedom of religion.We trust the goverment becouse of the obvious progress on our standard of living.
Joy, HeBei, China
China has the largest number of executions of any country in the world, Chinese style; with one bullet in the head for keeping the cost down. China is still a communist totalitarian regime. Their foreign policy is brutal and selfish, supporting oppressive regimes, as their internal oppression.
John, Atlanat, GA. USA
Lloyd, London,
who killed thousands of peopel--UK and USA,
who killed millions of Indians in America--UK
who captured millions of African as slaves for hundreds of years--Uk
who invaded Hongkong for more than 100 years--UK
who invaded North Ireland--UK
who writed false info about China--UK
ELIC, beijing, china
Les- who kills more female babies than any other nation on earth- China- Who has no workers rights- China- who has no freedom of speech- China- who has no freedom of religion-China- who is funding and supplying weapons to African dictators-China
Lloyd, London,
Les and finally- who has the youngest political prisoner at age 6 when snatched from his parents- China and who said The so-called reincarnated living Buddha without government approval is illegal and invalid, LOL, China
Lloyd, London,
I've lived and worked in China for almost three years now and I can assure you that I've yet to meet anyone who is "oppressed". True, the police don't stand for any nonsense but that's true of police anywhere. Believe it or not, in many ways there is actually more freedom here than in the west.
Les H, Zhangzhou, China
Lloyd, London,
I am confident the people will be behind the government. The security will catch up with the culprits and we will know who they are. Crime does not pay. I suppose you are happy.
As for Zim. I am glad they are willing to talk. Morgan must do the right thing. I wish Zims best luck
Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
"Lim welcome to the fight against oppression" - Lloyd
Is this some kind of sick joke? Was 9/11 and 7/7 "fights against oppression"?
Pete, Cov,
boycott boycott boycott,
china, its producs and the bloody olympics,
luke, London, uk
Lloyd welcome to the fight against terrorism. Its only the start for China to crackdown the pro-Tibet separatist and other terrorists. 1.3 BILLION Chinese are behind the government to hold a hardline policy, seems yes.
Ran, York, UK
Lim welcome to the fight against oppression. Its only the start for China. You said in one of your posts 1.3 million Chinese were behind the government, seems not. Remember how you said leave the Zim people alone; getting close to home now.
Lloyd, London,
Hope the police will get to the bottom of the incidents quickly and apprehend the culprit or culprits and mete out the appropriate punishment. Such criminal acts against public security and order cannot be tolerated.
Sympathise with the victims and injured.
210708
Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia