Chinese Bus Attendant Who Died Protecting Japanese Hat Awarded 'Model' Title

Suzhou City Posthumously Recognizes Mr. Hu's "Gyeonuiyongwi" Honor

The Chinese authorities awarded an exemplary title to a Chinese school bus attendant who died while protecting a Japanese mother and child waiting after school from an assailant's knife attack in China.

Earlier, on the afternoon of the 24th of last month (local time), an incident occurred where three people?a Japanese woman, her preschool-aged son, and a Chinese female school bus attendant?were injured by a knife wielded by a Chinese man. The Japanese mother and child were transported to the hospital and received treatment with no life-threatening injuries, but the Chinese school bus attendant ultimately passed away.

Model Title Awarded Chinese Bus Attendant Hu Yuping
[Photo by China Xinjingbao]

Subsequently, the Suzhou Municipal People's Government in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, held a memorial service for the late female attendant Hu Youping (胡友平, photo), attended by key officials including the Party Secretary, the Mayor, and the bereaved family. Yonhap News reported on the 2nd, "The Suzhou city government recognized the deceased's actions of courageously stepping forward upon witnessing righteousness (見義勇爲, Gyeon-ui-yong-wi) and posthumously awarded her the title of 'Model of Courageous Righteousness,' with the related certificate delivered to her family."

The deceased passed away at the age of 55 on the 26th of last month, two days after the incident. News of Hu's death attracted significant attention, ranking first in search terms on Chinese social networking services such as Weibo. Chinese netizens responded with comments such as, "If she had not stopped the assailant, many children might have fallen victim," "We salute her righteous actions. May she rest in peace in heaven," and "A kind and brave woman, an ordinary yet great person." The Japanese Embassy in China also expressed deep sorrow over the incident through its official Weibo account on the same day.

Condolence message for the late Hu Yuping and early photo posted on the Embassy of Japan in China’s Weibo [Photo by Embassy of Japan in China Weibo account capture]

A spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over the incident at a press conference on the 25th but noted that the police judged it to be an isolated incident, emphasizing that China is one of the safest countries recognized worldwide.

Suzhou, where the injured Japanese mother and child reside, is a city of 13 million people adjacent to Shanghai and home to many Japanese companies. Due to this incident, the Japanese school in Suzhou was closed that day, and security was heightened at Japanese schools in other parts of China. The Japanese Embassy in China urged caution, stating, "Recently, there have been knife-related incidents in parks, schools, and other crowded places across China. Please be vigilant of your surroundings when going out."

Meanwhile, on the 10th of last month, an incident also occurred in Beishan Park in downtown Jilin City, Jilin Province in northeastern China, where four American university lecturers were injured by a knife wielded by a Chinese man. This has heightened caution among foreigners in China. In response, the Japanese Embassy in China reiterated the recent knife-related incidents in parks, schools, and other crowded places across China, urging people to "be aware of your surroundings when going out." Japanese government spokesperson Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed regret and wished for the victims' speedy recovery.