Car rams gate at US Embassy in Beijing in January

Car rams gate at US Embassy in Beijing in January
By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press Writer Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press Writer – Fri Feb 13, 2:20 am ET
BEIJING – Three Chinese men in a car rammed a gate at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in late January, but little damage was caused and the incident is being investigated, an embassy spokesman said Friday.
Chinese police have released few details about the ramming, spokesman Richard Buangan said. The embassy did not report the incident at the time; Buangan was responding to queries from The Associated Press, which learned of the incident on Friday.
The three men were immediately taken into police custody and the embassy's security officers were seeking more information, Buangan said. Their identities are unknown to the embassy, he said.
In a brief statement faxed to the AP, China's Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident and said the driver appeared to be mentally ill.
"On Jan. 28, a male of Chinese nationality smashed a car into the south gate of the U.S. Embassy in China, causing damage to the car and the gate but no injuries or deaths," the statement said.
"After investigation, this man was found to have a mental disorder," it said, adding the case remained under investigation.
The ministry provided no information about the two other men in the car.
Beijing police did not immediately respond to questions about the incident, which they requested by fax.
The incident occurred at around 3 p.m. on Jan. 28, during China's weeklong Lunar New Year holiday. Buangan said the car involved was a Volkswagen Passat and the gate, which was a staff entrance to the complex, was bent inward and cannot now be opened.
Workers on Friday were repairing the gate with drills and welding torches.
Diplomats moved into the new U.S. Embassy in Beijing just last year. The massive complex is the second largest U.S. Embassy in the world after the one in Baghdad and sprawls over an entire city block on Beijing's eastern Chaoyang district.
China has blamed al-Qaida-linked terror cells for attacks in the country's far west, but the capital has been largely peaceful and sentiment among Chinese toward the U.S. has been largely neutral in recent years.

2. Summary

An U.S. embassy spokesman said an incident about three Chinese men in a car rammed to gate at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing during Chinese New Year holiday. The embassy did not report the event at the first time, and it was reported now. The three Chinese men, their identities are unknown to the embassy, were immediately arrested by police, and the embassy offices were seeking the information about this case. According to the survey, the driver of this case, who has a mental disorder, damaged the car and the gate but no injuries or deaths.

3. Feedback
It is an unexpected accident for U.S. embassy and Chinese Government. No one would expect such case will happen during Chinese New Year, which is one of the most important festivals for Chinese nationals. In addition, no Chinese people want to have such uncheerful thing in the beginning of the year. And I absolutely believe that it is an unhoped accident. And I am also delighted that the damage is not too extensive, no one was injuries and deaths, besides the car and the gate were defaced. Nevertheless, it has been so fortunate, otherwise, it would be a horrible accident outside the embassy. What is more, it maybe affects the relationship between the two countries. It is not the good situation which we are hopeful to see as well.