8 students detained for alleged bullying in Guangxi

Eight students have been detained on suspicion of bullying their classmate, including beating, in Long'an county of Nanning city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, according to a statement from the local education authority on Wednesday.

The statement said two of the eight, who are older than 16, are in criminal detention, while the remaining six, who are younger than 16 years old, have been given administrative detention under the Public Security Administrative Punishment Law.

According to Chinese Criminal Law, the age of criminal responsibility is 16. Children aged 14 to 16 can be held criminally liable if they commit violent crimes, including intentional homicide, rape, robbery or arson, or serious offenses such as trafficking or selling drugs.

A student surnamed Zhang, 13, was injured after he had been beaten and scalded by boiling water by the suspects. All of the students attend Long'an Campus of Longxiang School, a boarding school covering primary, middle and senior high classes.

The young victim has been sent to hospital and is reported to be in stable condition, according to the local education bureau.

The case is currently under investigation.

The school was instructed to immediately rectify the situation and make necessary improvements. It is also required to engage in further discussions with the victim's family to address subsequent matters.