[Epoch Times November 24, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Xu Jian comprehensive report) In the “Peng Shuai incident” that shocked the world, although the Chinese Communist Party’s official media and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs tried to avoid the other protagonist in the incident—— Zhang Gaoli, but international public opinion is chasing him, whether the CCP has raised Zhang Gaoli to attract attention from all walks of life overseas.
Previously, the CCP regime has repeatedly succeeded in suppressing internationally controversial topics. However, in the face of the international wave of support for Peng Shuai, this time the CCP’s external propaganda was unable to do so. Recently, the international tennis community has called for investigations into Peng Shuai’s accusation of Zhang Gaoli’s sexual assault. This is rare in the history of the Chinese Communist Party’s leaders’ international contacts.
In order to “pacify” the international community, Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Global Times, the CCP’s mouthpiece, frequently released photos and videos of Peng Shuai. On the 21st, he posted another tweet showing that Peng Shuai attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Youth Tennis Finals. And China expert Zhang Jiadun’s post said, “Hu Xijin of “Huanshi”, has the CCP launched a criminal investigation into the suspected rape of Peng Shuai by Zhang Gaoli and his wife?”See the video here
As the Beijing Winter Olympics approached, Peng Shuai’s allegations against Zhang Gaoli triggered a strong call for investigation by the world‘s leading tennis stars and international competition organizations. Unlike previous sports disputes involving human rights, in this Peng Shuai incident, if the Chinese Communist Party officials do not respond satisfactorily, the international tennis stars and the Women’s Tennis Association seem to be prepared to give up their economic interests in China.
According to the analysis of the Wall Street Journal, the dilemma facing the CCP is whether to risk the cancellation of the Olympic Games to support the image of CCP officials, or to investigate Zhang Gaoli to quell international doubts?
The CCP has always regarded the private lives of senior officials as a restricted area. For example, Li Yundi’s prostitution was abused by the nation, while Zhang Gaoli was suspected of sexual assault. The CCP’s domestic network completely blocked relevant information.
The article said that this turmoil has caused the CCP to face accusations-that it would rather offend the global anti-sexual assault movement (me too) in order to protect senior CCP officials. This may lead to an international boycott of the CCP’s upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics, and the CCP is eager to show its face in the international spotlight.
The article analyzes that the Peng Shuai incident is different from previous NBA incidents or other human rights disputes. The CCP is now facing a difficult choice: either break the precedent and bow to international pressure to investigate Zhang Gaoli; or offend the international sports stars who support Peng Shuai.
During the embryonic period of the Peng Shuai incident, the CCP government adopted the usual high-handed methods. Her report disappeared about 20 minutes after it appeared. Any post mentioning Peng Shuai was also deleted by the CCP’s Internet, and Peng Shuai himself was temporarily missing. It quickly aroused people’s worries about her whereabouts.
Different from the analysis of the international media, some Chinese experts believe that the Peng Shuai incident was not accidental, but a deliberate operation by different forces of the Chinese Communist Party.
Cai Xia, a former professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, said that the CCP’s network control is extremely strict. The names of former standing committee members and other senior officials are all sensitive words, and allegations against them cannot be sent to social platforms. However, Peng Shuai’s blog can survive for 20 minutes and then be quickly blocked. This is an online manipulation method that aims to combat political opponents without swaying the CCP’s totalitarian rule.
Overseas scholar Yuan Hongbing disclosed to The Epoch Times that the Peng Shuai incident involved a high-level CCP power struggle because before the CCP officially announced the resolution of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Central Committee, Zhang Gaoli defended Jiang during Xi Jinping’s internal struggle to deny Jiang Zemin and angered Xi Jinping.
Yuan Hongbing said, “Zhang Gaoli did her best to oppose the criticism of some issues in Jiang Zemin’s era and angered Xi Jinping, so he (the scandal) was made public.”
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
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