A new video of a Chinese tennis star appeared, but the world strongly protested

• Tennis star Peng Shuai has not appeared in public since he accused former Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli of “forcing” her to have sex earlier this month.
• After a global outcry, Chinese state media released a video claiming that everything about Peng is fine.
• Peng’s accusation against Zhang is the first time that China’s #MeToo movement has touched the highest level of the ruling Communist Party.

Chinese state media released a video on Sunday, claiming to show that tennis star Peng Shuai is smiling very well because of increasing international pressure to learn about her whereabouts.

The two-time Grand Slam doubles champion has not appeared in public since he accused the former Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Gaoli, now in her 70s, of “forcing” her to have sex in years of intermittent relationship earlier this month. .

After a global outcry, including tennis superstars and the United Nations, Chinese state media released a video claiming that everything is fine for Peng.

In one of the videos released by Global Times editor Hu Xijin, Peng appeared to be standing in the stadium, which he called “the opening ceremony of the final of the youth tennis match.”

She was in a group of guests, and their names were announced to several applauses. The audience is barely visible in the stands.

A Global Times reporter posted another video on Twitter, showing Peng signing autographs for the children at the stadium and then taking photos with them.

In one of the two other clips that Hu posted on Saturday, she appeared to walk into a restaurant wearing a coat, knitted hat and mask.

An obvious sign reads Beijing Yibin Hotel, a famous Sichuan restaurant just a stone’s throw away from Tiananmen Square and owned by the local government of Sichuan.

In the second picture, Peng sits at the table eating and chatting without wearing a mask.

Agence France-Presse was unable to verify the authenticity of the video.

Hu Jintao tweeted in English that the second video showed “Peng Shuai and his coach friend were eating in a restaurant. The content of the video clearly shows that they were filmed on Saturday, Beijing time.”

The conversation revolved around the “tennis match”. A man and a man sat with Peng and two women and said “Tomorrow is November 20th.”

But one of the women quickly corrected him and said “it is the 21st now”, implying that the video was shot on Saturday.

The chat seems to be staged. It was taken with a mobile phone in the evening. Peng appeared relaxed in the camera.

‘Insufficient’

Peng’s accusation against Zhang is the first time that China’s #MeToo movement has touched the highest level of the ruling Communist Party.

They were quickly removed from Weibo platforms like Twitter, and since then, people’s concerns about her safety have increased.

In the new video, Steve Simon, the owner of the Women’s Tennis Association, said he was happy to see these pictures, but “it’s not clear whether she has freedom and whether she can make her own decisions without coercion or external interference. Take action.”

“This video alone is not enough,” Simon said in a statement.

“I know exactly what needs to happen, and our relationship with China is at a crossroads.”

The WTA threatened to terminate the lucrative contract with China unless Peng’s safety news was obtained.

The Chinese state media released the evidence they said, proving that everything is fine for her.

First, the state-run CGTN posted a screenshot on Twitter last week. The content was an email sent by Peng to the WTA, stating that her allegations were not true and that she was “resting at home and everything is fine.”

But people are skeptical about the embarrassing language and the cursor visible in the screenshots.

Then, on Friday, a photo of Peng Xiaoxiao appeared on the verified Twitter account @shen_shiwei, which was marked by the social network as the official Chinese media.

The authenticity of the image could not be verified, and the user did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.

Followed by videos posted on Saturday and Sunday.

China has repeatedly refused to comment on the case.

Discussions of Peng’s allegations are blocked on the Internet, which is strictly controlled by China.

‘Independent and verifiable evidence’

More and more voices inside and outside the sports world want to know where and how Peng is.

The White House expressed “deep concern” to Peng, and President Joe Biden’s press secretary stated that his government hopes that China “provides independent and verifiable evidence” to prove her whereabouts.

The British Foreign Office also expressed “extremely concerned” and urged China to provide verifiable evidence.

The United Nations insists on conducting a fully transparent investigation into Peng’s allegations against Zhang

Some prominent figures in the tennis industry have already expressed their views on the case, including Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka.

Superstar Roger Federer also weighed in on Saturday, saying on Sky News: “She is one of our tennis champions and the former number one in the world. Obviously this is worrying. I hope she is safe.”

Peng represented China in the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and won the gold medal for China at the 2010 Asian Games.

She is a former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion.