World News | China 'deeply Concerned' About Anti-Asian Violence in US
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. China called on the US to take measures to stem violence against people of Asian heritage after eight people were killed at Atlanta-area massage parlors.
Beijing, Mar 18 (AP) China called on the US to take measures to stem violence against people of Asian heritage after eight people were killed at Atlanta-area massage parlors.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Thursday that violence against Asians in the US was “outrageous and distressing,” leaving China “deeply concerned.”
American authorities should “take practical measures to resolve issues of racism and racial discrimination at home, and earnestly safeguard and protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the United States,” Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing.
The 21-year-old suspect in Tuesday's shootings reportedly told police the attack was not racially motivated. He claimed that he targeted the spas because of a “sex addiction.” Six of those slain were identified as being of Asian descent and seven were women.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry has said four of the victims who died were women of Korean descent, while two of the other victims appeared to have Chinese names.
China has long countered accusations of human rights abuses under the ruling Communist Party by pointing to racism and violence in America. Recent attacks on Asians in the U.S. are partly attributed to anti-Chinese sentiment arising from the coronavirus pandemic that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
While giving no names, Zhao said some American politicians had “instigated racism and hatred, and condoned discrimination against Chinese students in the United States.
“The United States should take practical measures to resolve issues of racism and racial discrimination at home, and earnestly safeguard and protect the safety and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the United States," Zhao said. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)