Four U.S. college professors were stabbed in a public park while visiting a partner university in northeastern China on Monday.

The teachers, who are part of Cornell College, in Mount Vernon, Iowa, were touring a local temple when they were attacked in Jilin province on June 10 morning.

Footage shows the foreigners lying on the pavement with their clothes soaked in blood as locals crowded around them in Beishan Park.

American media reported that the professors had been taken to a hospital and were recovering.

Cornell College President Jonathan Brand said the academics were in China on a partnership teaching exchange program with Beihua University. A Chinese faculty member had been accompanying them when they were attacked.

The motive for the alleged stabbing was still unclear.

The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the incident, but could not provide further details.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said: 'I'm in touch with Iowa's federal delegation and the state department in response to this horrifying attack. Please pray for their full recovery, safe return, and their families here at home.'

Meanwhile, Communist authorities - who heavily censor incidents - have not commented on the matter. Discussions, images, videos, and posts also appear to have been wiped from the country's news and social media.

The attack occurred amid efforts to thaw icy relations between the U.S. and China through educational and cultural exchanges.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a November 2023 summit in California that China was ready to invite 50,000 young American students on exchange and study programs in the next five years.