NextSharkNextShark.com

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai accuses Chinese official of sexual coercion

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai accuses Chinese official of sexual coercion

One of China's biggest star athletes, tennis doubles player Peng Shuai, has accused a former Chinese official of sexual coercion.

November 4, 2021
SHARE
One of China’s biggest star athletes has accused a former Chinese official of sexual coercion. 
Peng’s allegations: Tennis doubles player Peng Shuai alleged in a now-deleted Weibo post on Tuesday that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli forced her into sex several years ago, reported Reuters.
  • The 35-year-old athlete and world’s No.1 doubles player in 2014, wrote that she eventually engaged in an on-off consensual relationship with the official.
  • Zhang, 75, served as a member of China’s powerful decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee, between 2012 and 2017.
  • Peng’s accusation alleged that following Zhang’s retirement around three years ago, the official and his wife invited her to dine with them. It was then that Zhang reportedly coerced  Peng into having sex with him, according to the Washington Post.
  • The tennis star claimed that Zhang left her feeling upset because he insisted that their affair remain secret. Peng was scheduled to meet Zhang on Tuesday to “discuss her grievances,” but he called off the meeting.
  • “I know I can’t say it all clearly, and that there’s no use in saying it,” she purportedly wrote. “But I still want to say it.”
  • High-ranking government officials in China are prohibited from having extramarital affairs, the Washington Post reported in 2014. Peng, however, noted that she could not share any proof to support her claims. Both sides have reportedly declined to comment further on the issue.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

Online censors triggered: While Peng’s post was taken down less than an hour after publication, her words gained widespread attention online after users captured screenshots and shared them via private chat groups.
View post on Twitter
  • A hashtag containing Peng’s name generated over 20 million views, fueling an immediate surge in online discussions.
  • Peng’s public accusation against a senior official has since been considered by feminist activists as a significant moment for the #MeToo movement in China.
  • The online buzz soon dropped after posts about Peng were removed and discussions of the topic were blocked on Weibo by early Wednesday. Weibo searches for Peng’s name also did not bring up any results, and while WeChat and QQ users were unable to send the screenshots.
  • Online users have since adapted by using coded terms and words that sound similar to Peng and Zhang’s names in comments and discussions.
Featured Image via Getty (left), RTVMalacanang (right)
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Ryan General

      Ryan General is a Senior Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.