Children among 6 killed in China kindergarten stabbing

• The 25-year-old suspect with surname Wi arrested.
• Media reports confirm children also among victims.
• Social media users demand capital punishment for stabber.

A stabbing rampage in a kindergarten in the Chinese province of Guangdong left at least six people dead and one injured, authorities said Monday, sparking fears about the safety of children's schools.

The 25-year-old suspect with surname Wi was arrested and authorities have started an investigation into the stabbing.

According to media reports, the incident in Lianjiang County in the southern province was a stabbing, with some reporting that victims also include children.

While violent crime is rare in China due to strict gun laws and tight security, incidents of stabbings at pre-schools over the past few years have raised concerns about school safety.

The latest stabbing in China sparked emotive debate on the Weibo social media platform. By 1:50pm (0550 GMT) it was the top-trending discussion, with 290 million views.

Some social media users called for the suspect to face the death penalty.

"It's outrageous to do this to children who have no power at all. How many families will be destroyed by this ... I support the death penalty," one Weibo user said.

Another user questioned security at schools, especially after similar previous attacks.

"Why do such cases still continue to emerge?"

Last year in August, at least three people lost their lives and six were injured in a stabbing at a kindergarten in the southern province of Jiangxi.

In 2021, a man killed two children and wounded 16 at a kindergarten in the southwestern region of Guangxi.

Attacks on children have also thrown a spotlight on mental health, which often goes under the radar due to the cultural stigma attached to mental illnesses.

In 2017, a 22-year-old man set off an explosive device outside a kindergarten in Jiangsu province, killing himself and a few others while wounding dozens.

According to state media, the man had a neurological disorder and scrawled words for death on the walls of his home.

Last month, a series of violent attacks in Hong Kong also raised the issue of mental health.

Mental health experts point to the COVID-19 pandemic as a major factor behind an increase in mental health problems.