Luo Tianguang, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of Consular Affairs and also a special deputy of Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday. He will urge officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the South African Police Service to implement measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens.

Nine Chinese nationals have been killed in South Africa since the start of the year, the most recent being the murder-robbery of a visitor from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.

During his stay, Luo will also visit family members of victims and deputies of overseas Chinese in South Africa.

Luo said that Chinese safety in South Africa will be proposed as an agenda item for South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma's upcoming visit to China.

Kidnappings, robberies and shootings have been on the rise in South Africa. The South African government reports that there were 52 armed robberies involving Chinese victims in the January-August period this year. In the same period, nine Chinese people were killed, eight injured and over US$900,000 lost.

Worldwide, 70 Chinese have been killed or injured this year.

Crimes against Chinese nationals in South Africa appear to have escalated in the past two months.

On June 22, Mo Yiyan was shot and killed in his house in Brits City, and his daughter Mo Ajuan was seriously injured. The following day, Mo's friend Lin Wenbin was kidnapped while returning home from the hospital after visiting Mo Ajuan. Lin's body was later found near a bridge.

On July 16, Wang Xiande, on a business trip from Shanghai to Johannesburg with his family, was robbed by two armed men. After taking items from the family members, the assailants fired five shots, killing Wang's cousin and wounding Wang.

The same day, Lin Dehai, who resided in Durban, was killed on his way home.

The most recent case involved a man from Guangdong Province, surnamed Li, who was visiting his brother and some other relatives who were doing business in South Africa. Li went to dinner with his brother and relatives at about 9:00 PM on August 27. They were returning home after the meal when four armed men attacked them in their courtyard.

They stabbed Li and then fled in the automobile with Li's mobile phone and watch.

Li's carotid artery had been cut and he died from loss of blood.

Deputy Consul General Wang Haifeng said that the embassy immediately contacted the local police when it was notified of the case, urging them to find the perpetrators swiftly and also to protect the safety of Chinese nationals.

(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan September 2, 2004)