An explosion occurred on a busy market area in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang on Sunday, just three days after a visit by President Xi Jinping, according to videos and images posted on social media.
Footage of the scene posted on X by users showed people milling about outside when the blast happens. Afterwards, smoke fills the air and injured people are seen on the ground while bystanders cry out in panic.
The posts said the blast happened at around noon Sunday outside the entrance to the Dalefu food market, near central Shenyang.
Radio Free Asia could not independently verify the videos posted on social media, but multiple videos appeared to be same incident from different angles.
Chinese state media had very limited coverage. One outlet, Red Star News, reported that the explosion was still under investigation but gave no numbers of casualties, although from the videos it appeared people had been injured.
Media outlets such as Taiwan’s Central News Agency and Radio France Internationale reported on the incident shortly after it took place.
On Monday, a query for news of the explosion on the Chinese search engine Baidu yielded no results — typical of sensitive online information that has been censored by Chinese authorities.
The explosion occurred just days ahead of the Jan. 28-Feb. 4 Chinese Lunar New Year — an official holiday marked by family reunions and public celebrations.
Xi’s earlier visit
The Dalefu food market was the setting for a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping three days earlier on Jan. 23, according to official Chinese media.
Reports said Xi “braved severe cold” to inspect the market and better understand the situation facing the public in the lead-up to the holiday season.
China’s government has unleashed a raft of stimulus measures in a bid to boost the country’s sluggish economy. But sources say people are reluctant to spend amid a real estate slump and concerns over job security.
In a video accompanying the reports on Xi’s visit, the Chinese president is shown being greeted by scores of smiling workers and shoppers inside the marketplace.
Edited by Malcolm Foster.
