A student surnamed Zhang allegedly stabbed a student surnamed Ying outside a building in Huchuan Middle School, Jinyun county, at 7:10 a.m.. Zhang then fled and was found by police at noon.

Ying was rushed to hospital by teachers, but died of his injuries.

Police investigating the case refused to give more details on Wednesday.

The killing occurred just six weeks after a 17-year-old student stabbed six schoolmates, leaving two dead and four injured, in Maoming city, south China's Guangdong Province.

Wu Jianguo attacked the six students with a knife at 8.30 p.m. on a staircase landing before fleeing. He turned himself over to the police the next day.

Initial investigations found one of the victims had asked Wu for a "protection fee", which Wu refused, on the day of the attack.

Schoolground extortion and threats have been widely reported in the Chinese media in recent years.