Australians Unhurt in China After Bus Hijacker Is Killed

BEIJING, March 5 -- A man armed with explosives hijacked a bus carrying Australian tourists Wednesday in the historic city of Xian, a rare act of violence against foreign visitors to China. The man negotiated for nearly three hours until police shot him dead as he headed toward the airport, Chinese and Australian officials said.

The 10 hostages and their Chinese interpreter were unharmed, according to Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, who thanked Chinese authorities for their decisive intervention.

The incident came at a sensitive time as China prepares to welcome up to half a million visitors for the Beijing Olympic Games in August. Chinese authorities have repeatedly pledged that people attending the Games will be safe.

The official New China News Agency identified the hijacker as Xia Tao. It described him as a worker from Xian but did not mention his motives.

Xian, 600 miles southwest of Beijing, was an ancient imperial capital. More recently, it has become well known as the home of the terra cotta army -- thousands of life-size figures of warriors and horses that were buried near the tomb of an ancient emperor -- and draws tourists from around the world.