A photo shows a student injured in the knife attack is being rescued in the hospital. [Photo: Xinhua]

Authorities in Hainan are trying to figure out the motivation for a knife-attack on a group of students yesterday in the city of Haikou.

A 45-year old man, who has since been identified as Li Sijun, stabbed ten school children outside their elementary school while they were on their lunch break, severely injuring two of them.

The attacker later killed himself.

None of the injuries to the students are life-threatening.

Police in Haikou are still trying to figure out why Li Sijun went on the rampage.

While violent crime is comparatively rare in China, there have been a number of cases involving knife and axe attacks against school children in recent years across different parts of the country.