Explosions Rock China

by Stephen Lendman

A series of recent explosions rocked China. On August 12, multiple ones struck the Port of Tianjin. Fires burned for days, causing secondary explosions, around 175 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Extensive destruction occurred, nearby buildings affected.

On August 31, a massive blast struck the Diao Kou Bin Yuan Chemical Company, causing extensive damage, igniting a blaze lasting hours, killing five, injuring others.

On September 30, multiple blasts rocked Liuzhou in southwest China’s Guangxi region, state media reporting seven deaths, over 50 others injured.

The official Chinese News agency Xinhau called the incidents a “criminal” act. It identified one suspect, saying investigation into what happened remains ongoing.

A man named Wei was arrested. Local officials said the blasts occurred from mid-to-late afternoon. The public was warned to avoid opening recently received parcels.

Reports indicated 17 blasts occurred, targeting government offices, shopping malls, local markets, a hospital, a bus station and jail. Local authorities blamed the incidents on explosive devices in mail packages.

In recent years, extremist elements killed hundreds in far western Xinjiang region. Terrorist incidents rarely occur elsewhere.

Authorities called the August and September explosions criminal acts. On September 30, the South China Morning Post said “(b)ombs hidden in courier parcels delivered to various locations across a county in Guangxi province exploded yesterday, killing at least seven and injuring dozens ahead of the seven-day National Day holiday.”

On October 1, another explosion struck Liucheng in southern China, damaging a six-story building. Authorities ruled out terrorism, or do they suspect what they’re not reporting.

Multiple incidents on the same day after previous ones in recent weeks raise obvious suspicions. People’s Public Security University of China’s Criminal Investigation College head Dail Peng said it’s too early to call what happened criminal acts. A thorough investigation is needed.

This number of incidents causing extensive damage and casualties suggests more than one person involved. Were they crimes or well-planned sabotage?

Liucheng county public security official Cai Tianlai said 60 additional suspicious courier parcels were discovered - now in police custody, pending bomb squad analysis.

Courier deliveries were temporarily suspended. The last time multiple explosions occurred on the same day was in 2011. Three bombs detonated near government buildings in Fuzhou, in Jiangxi province, killing two, injuring others.

If these incidents were terrorist acts, key is whether they were from foreign sources or homegrown.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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