On Thursday, China’s state-run Global Times aimed to leverage the assassination of Charlie Kirk, referring to “Chinese analysts” who argued that the killing underscores how solutions to gun violence are still elusive.
Chinese Communist publications often pick and choose political excerpts from Associated Press reports, like those trying to shift blame towards the Democrats. This seems to be a tactic to blur the lines regarding the leftist inclinations toward political violence in contemporary America.
“The AP News report highlighted how the shooting has renewed focus on the rising threat of political violence in the U.S., which has been escalating across the ideological spectrum in recent years,” stated Global Times.
In a similar vein, some Democrats have seized the opportunity after Kirk’s murder, pushing the gun control agenda, even though, reportedly, the weapon used was a common hunting rifle legal in many countries with stringent gun laws.
Global Times then echoed this Democratic narrative, suggesting that Kirk was, in a way, a human sacrifice in the ongoing conversation about “gun violence” in America.
A professor at Southwest University of Politics and Law, Zhu Ying, noted that shootings in the U.S. are becoming less isolated. They are increasingly morphing into retaliatory and political violence aimed at various political factions or specific politicians, as mentioned in Global Times on Thursday.
Additionally, Zia Chungyang from the National Council’s Center for Development Research pointed out that the political atmosphere is becoming more partisan and, to some extent, violent, referencing Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
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Whenever a mass shooting or politically motivated gun incident occurs, there are usually calls for stricter gun regulations. Nevertheless, the profound mistrust many Americans harbor toward their government complicates the actual enforcement of such measures, making gun control a constitutional and societal issue, Zhu remarked.
While taking jabs at American media for snippets to include in a self-serving editorial regarding Kirk’s assassination, Global Times pointed out the irony of Kirk’s opposition to gun control, implying it was almost fitting or humorous, given the circumstances.
Previously, Kirk had articulated a stance against gun control, noting that annually, the costs from gun-related deaths are substantial, implying the need for revisiting amendments, according to a BBC report.
Global Times seemed rushed to publish, forgetting to acknowledge the wave of violent attacks in China over recent years. Most of these involved knives and often targeted children.
Moreover, Global Times overlooked mentioning how the Chinese government frequently employs force to suppress dissenting voices, maintaining a policy of unqualified praise for Kirk’s assassin.
