China: Tennis Star Peng Shuai Says She Was Sexual Assaulted By Former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, Weibo Deletes Post

A top Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli before becoming his mistress.

A powerful apparatchik of the ruling Chinese communist party, Zhang served as vice-premier of China from 2013 to 2018. He was the member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the communist party from 2012 through 2017 under the leadership of President Xi Jinping.

Peng, who has won the women's doubles at both Wimbledon and French Open, accused Zhang of coercing her in to a sexual relationship and later abandoning her after having an extramarital relationship for seven years.

In a long post in Weibo, Peng provided details of her sordid relationship with the former vice premier. The post was takedown but not before it went viral. Weibo also appears to have restricted access to Peng's account.

Peng said that their relationship began a couple of years before Zhang was elevated to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo Standing Committee in 2012. She said that Zhang never contacted her while serving on the committee but resumed the relationship as soon as he left the politburo. She said that post his retirement Zhang invited her to his home, where his wife was, and was forced into a sexual relationship.

Chinese communist party under President Xi Jinping has ruthlessly crushed feminist activism and country's powerful censor apparatus censors quickly expunges any references to #MeToo

In mid-2018, as many women in China began sharing their own #MeToo stories online.

Xianzi, a feisty young girl had emerged as face of #MeToo movement in China. Xianzi, who was an intern at China’s national television network, in a blog post accused Zhu Jun, a famous state broadcasting host and member of China’s political advisory body, of forcibly groping and kissing her. Her post, and a subsequent one, went viral across China’s social media.

The following day she went to the police to report it but, she says, they told her he was a famous person of good reputation and “positive energy” for the country, so she should leave it alone. They also contacted her parents – party members with government jobs – and warned them that she shouldn’t speak out.