In a sign of just how sensitive the subject is, Hu Xijin, the firebrand editor of the state media tabloid, the Global Times, tweeted in English that he believed nothing had happened to Peng but seemed unable to mention her allegations, instead referring to it as “the thing people talked about”. No public accusation has been levelled against a senior official of the Chinese Communist party before, let alone one as high-ranking as Zhang was, having sat on the CCP’s highest ruling body, the seven-member politburo standing committee. Now, she is also the latest and most high-profile #MeToo case in a country where the movement has struggled to gain traction in the face of strict censorship, an opaque justice system, and social and political hostility. The 35-year-old is one of China’s most recognisable sporting stars who has been lauded by the government. “While one rings hollow, the other has a resounding ring of authenticity,” wrote Fergus Ryan for the Strategist blog published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Peng’s “email” was in stark contrast to her original post. Observers noted the language in the text was similar to previous forced confessions and statements by dissidents in the past – many of which were broadcast by CGTN. The idea that CGTN might have badly concocted a fake email was seen as somewhat laughable but also chilling. It was not published in Chinese or anywhere in China, despite the obvious interest and concern among those who saw her viral post before it was deleted. The purported email was quickly dismissed: the screenshot had no dateline, subject field or addresses, and contained a visible cursor. On Wednesday it published on Twitter a screenshot of text it claimed was an email Peng sent to the head of the WTA, Steve Simon, saying she was fine and withdrawing her allegations. The only formal mention by Chinese media has been an apparently ham-fisted attempt by the state-run English language broadcaster, CGTN. The Guardian is among numerous foreign outlets that are blocked entirely. Chinese access to foreign media is strictly controlled: CNN said on Friday its local feed was cut every time they mentioned the case. The government will say nothing, and state media has reported nothing. Without concerted effort, some risk and a good VPN, learning about Peng’s case in China is largely impossible.
Other posts showed photos of tennis balls with Chinese characters written on them that spelt out “Peng Shuai, hang in there”.Īttempts to access the board inside China without a VPN returned an error message and said the site contained illegal content, which had been reported. I hope you’re safe and sound and thank you for raising your voice and sharing your story,” said one. The Guardian found some references in private WeChat circles, including tennis-themed illustrations, some with the words “I hope she is safe” and others containing QR codes linking to Padlet, a digital noticeboard board, for people to post their own messages.