Four instructors from Iowa colleges who were teaching in China were reportedly stabbed during an attack while visiting a public park, confirmed by Cornell College and the U.S. State Department on Monday.

According to Cornell College President Jonathan Brand, the instructors were accompanied by a faculty member from Beihua University when the assault occurred. Cornell, a private school in Mount Vernon, has a partnership with Beihua University near Jilin City in northeastern China, as stated by Cornell spokesperson Jen Visser.

The State Department acknowledged reports of a stabbing and stated it is closely monitoring the situation. Details regarding the severity of the injuries sustained by the instructors and the motive behind the attack remained unclear as of Monday. Visser mentioned that the college was still in the process of gathering information about the incident.

U.S. Representative Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks of Iowa shared on social media her efforts to contact the U.S. Embassy to ensure the victims receive proper healthcare and are repatriated to the U.S. promptly.

The assault occurred amidst efforts by both Beijing and Washington to maintain people-to-people exchanges to prevent the deterioration of bilateral relations. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently announced a plan to invite 50,000 young Americans to China within the next five years, while Chinese diplomats have expressed concerns over a travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department, which discourages Americans from traveling to China.

The Level 3 travel advisory, the second-highest warning level, has been issued by the State Department for mainland China, citing risks of arbitrary detentions and exit bans that could prevent Americans from leaving the country. Consequently, some American universities have suspended their programs in China due to the travel advisory.