I agree with Alex. I do not like the tone of this article.

Jennifer, London, United Kingdom

i cannot agree with "Kunming seems to have a reputation of hostage-taking". It's not even an individual case in China or other parts of the world. When financial crisis smashed into other industries, pressures of surviving soar. We have to work hard on economic development instead.

Yeon, Shanghai, China

It's newsworthy because of the dramatic photographs. And I cannot believe that such a story generates comments about western media dictatorships, and other generic charges. Seems to me the journalist simply stated what happened. How anti-China of him...

David Alvey , London,

Raja, I cannot agree with you. There is no evidence that this is domestic violence - the article clearly says "said to be his girlfriend", so it could be a cleaner, his sister-in-law, anybody at all.

Martyn, Apeldoorn, Holland

Clearly it is a slow news day. Also, I think that there is shock when these things happen in China as China is perceived to be very free of crime.

Not much of a story, man takes hostage, expert negotiators talk him down, ends without tragedy. Still, I expect some Chinese to claim this is antiChina

Chris J. Stevens, Sydney, Australia

Why not call this what it is - domestic violence - and not trivialise it as a 'lovers' quarrel'. It's about time violence against women was taken more seriously. I'm appalled that the photos of what was no doubt an terrifying ordeal for the woman are so casually printed.

Raja, London,

Alex, London. I totally agree with you. And I'm observing the silence.

Christina Dickinson, Skopje, Macedonia

How would you have it reported? It's just a guy who's lost the plot!

Andrew, Eindoven, Holland

What do you find blase' about the reporting? It includes all the relevant facts. Have you grown so used to sensationalist journalism that a simple, straight forward story strikes you as odd?

Kile, Texas, USA

How blase, alex?
It is a straight factual report.

Gordon Harrison, coventry, uk

Alex,
How would a similar incident in the U.K. or in the U.S. be reported in China? My question is why was this particular incident considered newsworthy? Similar things happen all over the world without even making the local news let alone international. Unnoticed tragedies amidst life's tumult .

Mike, San Antonio, USA

Alex, good point.

Stefan, Tokyo, Japan

Why is this reported in such a blase way? Is there a difference when it happens here in the west than when it happens over in China, or elsewhere?

Alex, London, UK