Man Explodes Device Outside US Embassy in Beijing

A man exploded a small homemade bomb outside the US Embassy in Beijing on Thursday, injuring only himself, according to police and an embassy spokesperson. Photos on social media showed a large amount of smoke and police vehicles surrounding the embassy shortly after the incident. Apart from a heightened security presence, the scene outside appeared to be normal by early afternoon. The Beijing Police Department posted a statement on its website identifying the suspect only by his surname, Jiang, and said he was 26 years old and a native of Tongliao city in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia, the AP reports.

There was no word on a motive and the statement said the investigation was continuing. No damage was done to embassy property and no other injuries were recorded, a US embassy spokesperson said, speaking on routine condition of anonymity. Only one person was involved and police responded to the situation, the spokesperson says. China and the US, are in the middle of a trade dispute, but America remains a hugely popular destination for travel, education, and immigration for Chinese citizens.

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