China has sent condolences to the family of the Filipino doctor who was killed when while visiting the historic if not infamous Tiananmen Square in Beijing, a vehicle now known to be driven by a Uighur Muslim crashed into the square hitting her, her husband and two of her daughters before bursting into flames. The incident is now being labeled a terrorist act by Chinese authorities, perpetrated by Muslims from the restive western region of Xinjiang. Several persons have been detained for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
This is not the first time Filipinos were killed in Tiananmen Square. In 2005, a Chinese farmer attacked a Filipino family with a scythe as they were disembarking from a tourist bus. Three members of the Madrigal family were killed. Media coverage in China was severely limited, which is why only a few know about the incident. That was not helped by the likewise limited coverage given by Philippine media to the incident, some saying the Arroyo administration had something to do with that. I'm sure many do not even know it happened, until now.
Anyway, condolences not apologies, were formally sent. That's it. And yes, we didn't exactly have any choice but to accept it. These acts were committed by either a deranged man, or people with ideologies or beliefs contrary to the Chinese mindset. Technically, they were not committed by the Chinese government, so an apology was not needed, let alone from the highest official in the country. We did not make any noise about a formal apology nor monetary compensation for the victims, only justice for what was done to them. Nobody wanted this to happen, including the Chinese government.
This is in stark contrast to what some in Hong Kong are still demanding with regards to the hostage-taking at the Quirino grandstand in 2010, where eight people were killed by the lone hostage-taker, a former Manila policeman. They demand an official apology from no less than President Aquino, and monetary compensation for the victims. Three years after that unfortunate incident, they are still adamant about the apology and money, even to the point of ambush-interviewing the President in Bali, Indonesia. Not even the efforts of former President and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada to placate them by issuing a formal apology coming from the City of Manila, even trying to raise money for them, which I totally disagree with, is being considered, as reports that they have agreed to it was obviously premature.
So how long is this going to go on? We really don't know as it is obvious that people from Hong Kong do not know how to forgive and forget that easily, even for something done by one man, and not by the whole nation. Makes me wonder if Hong Kong tourists were killed in Tiananmen. Would be just as adamant about an official apology and monetary compensation from Beijing?
I don't think so.