(Photo/Video Screenshot)
A video released on Friday capturing a face-to-face meeting between the mother of a 24-year-old Chinese graduate student killed in Japan and her former roommate has sparked an outcry among netizens.
Jiang Ge, from Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong Province, was stabbed to death last November by her roommate's ex-boyfriend.
She was completing her master's degree in Japan at the time.
The Beijing News released the video of Jiang's mother confronting her daughter's former roommate, Liu Xin.
Jiang's mother said she would never forgive Liu
During the meeting, which took place 294 days after Jiang's death, Liu was seen on camera constantly sobbing while extending apologies for not being able to offer her friend a helping hand at the scene.
The 24-year-old referred to Jiang as her "only relative in Japan." Liu was living in Jiang's Tokyo apartment when she was murdered.
Liu also claimed that she had never locked the apartment door to prevent Jiang from getting inside but was unable to open it when Jiang was being attacked.
According to Liu, she went into the apartment first upon their arrival in the early hours of November 3 last year. On hearing Jiang's sudden screaming outside a few minutes later, she rushed to the door but only to find she could not open it as if someone was holding it close. She then called for help and remained indoors until the police came and spotted Jiang lying barely alive on the corridor floor.
"I had no idea of what happened outside and I was really unaware that Chen Shifeng (her ex-boyfriend) was carrying out a murder at the time," Liu whimpered, adding "I was indeed intimidated so that I did not step outside until the police arrived."
But during the meeting, Jiang's mother, Jiang Qiulian condemned Liu for waiting nearly 300 days to offer more details of her daughter's last moments. She even slammed Liu's family for remaining indifferent to Jiang Ge's death. The heartbroken mother could not help but to wail at the loss of her beloved daughter at sight of Jiang Ge's items and photos handed over by Liu at the meeting.
Jiang Ge was allegedly killed in Liu Xin's defense
Liu Xin, also from east China's Shandong Province, was a former classmate and roommate of Jiang. She moved in with the victim last September after breaking up with Chen Shifeng, a 25-year-old Chinese whom she had been dating with since June, 2016.
Hours before Jiang was stabbed to death, the alleged murderer had come to her door to find Liu Xin but was reportedly involved in a spat with Jiang who was there to confront him after receiving messages from a terrified Liu.
Having been tailed after by Chen who failed to be given another chance after breakup all the way to her workplace the same day, frightened Liu sent another message to Jiang after work in the evening in the hope of going back home together, Liu Xin revealed in a documented interview with the Beijing News released on Saturday.
Jiang's mother failed to meet with Liu Xin months after her daughter was killed
After being informed of her daughter's death by the Chinese embassy in Japan, Jiang Qiulian was unable to meet with Liu Xin for more details about the murder despite multiple inquiries and could not even reach out to Liu through WeChat. Liu also failed to show up at Jiang's funeral as promised, with her parents later blocking Jiang Qiulian's telephone calls.
Jiang Qiulian and Liu Xin finally had their long overdue face-to-face talk in August. The Beijing News said it lasted for almost two hours and ended with the two failing to reach a conciliation and Jiang Qiulian yelling at Liu Xin begging for her leave upon seeing her daughter's belongings Liu was handing over. Jiang Qiulian also revealed to the Beijing News following the meeting that she would not forgive Liu Xin.
Netizens slammed Liu Xin for being selfish and cold-blooded in reacting to Jiang Ge's death
Since more details about Jiang Ge's death were released after the interviews of Liu Xin and Jiang's mother along with videos capturing their meeting, Liu Xin has been under fire with a barrage of online criticisms blaming her for what led to Jiang Ge's death while saving herself from murder.
She was also condemned for being selfish and cold-blooded for complaining of being cyber bullied on Weibo instead of sending heartfelt condolence to her friend who was allegedly killed in her defense.
"She (Liu Xin) has no repentance at all as she was seen in the interview only being emotional in talking about how she lost her job after her personal information was exposed and caused an online outrage but remained indifferent while relating Jiang Ge's death," a netizen identified as @Angela commented on Weibo, adding her statements were full of lies.
"The selfish Liu Xin should be blacklisted by all companies across the country," commented @wozhemekeaipashenme. The netizen further noted "how could she offer no apologies to Jiang's mother in such a long time and even verbally attack her online?"
Jiang's mother has been now in Tokyo holding a signature campaign asking for the death penalty of the murder Chen Shifeng, who had been arrested on November 7 last year and now in custody ahead of his trial on December 11 for allegations of killing Jiang Ge.
The campaign was joined by dozens of local volunteers and has amassed support from tens of thousands of netizens on China's social media. Liu Xin, who promised to join the signature move initiated by Jiang Qiulian, was yet to keep her words, according to Jiang's mother.
