Video of missing Chinese tennis star posted online
Beijing(AP): The editor of a Communist Party newspaper posted a video online that he said shows missing tennis star Peng Shuai watching a match Sunday, as the ruling party tried to quell fears abroad while suppressing information in China about Peng after she accused a senior leader of sexual assault.
The video posted by Hu Xijin of the Global Times on Twitter, which cannot be seen by most internet users in China, shows Peng standing with five other people at what Hu said was a youth championship in Beijing. It followed Hu's statement Saturday on Twitter that Peng would show up in public soon.
The ruling party appears to be trying to defuse alarm about Peng without acknowledging her disappearance after the three-time Olympian accused Zhang Gaoli, a former member of the party's ruling Standing Committee, of forcing her to have sex.
Peng's disappearance and the government's silence in response to appeals for information prompted calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, a prestige event for the Communist Party. The women's professional tour threatened to pull events out of China unless the safety of the former No. 1 doubles player was assured.
Discussion of Peng has been deleted from websites in China. A government spokesman on Friday denied knowing about the outcry. The ruling party's internet filters also block most people in China from seeing other social media abroad and most global news outlets.
Peng adds to a growing number of Chinese businesspeople, activists and ordinary people who have disappeared in recent years after criticising party figures or in crackdowns on corruption or pro-democracy and labour rights campaigns.
Some re-emerge weeks or months later without explanation, suggesting they are warned not to disclose they were detained or the reason.
Hu, whose newspaper is known for its nationalistic tone and who uses Twitter to criticize foreign governments, wrote Saturday that Peng stayed in her own home freely and would show up in public and participate in some activities soon.
Tennis stars and the Women's Tennis Association have been unusually vocal in demanding information about Peng. Companies and other sports groups are reluctant to confront Beijing for fear of losing access to the Chinese market or other retaliation.
The ruling party has given no indication whether it is investigating Peng's accusation against Gao, 75, who left the Standing Committee in 2018 and has largely disappeared from public life.
Even if the party deems Peng's accusation valid, people in China often are jailed or face other penalties for embarrassing the party by publicising complaints about abuses instead of going through the secretive, often unresponsive official system.
The status of star athletes such as Peng is especially sensitive. State media celebrate their victories as proof the party is making China strong. But the party is vigilant about making sure they cannot use their prominence and public appeal to erode its image.
Steve Simon, the WTA's chairman and CEO, expressed concern for Peng's safety after Hu posted two videos Saturday that appeared to show her in a restaurant.
While it is positive to see her, it remains unclear if she is free and able to make decisions and take actions on her own, without coercion or external interference. This video alone is insufficient, Simon said. Our relationship with China is at a crossroads.
The International Olympic Committee has remained quiet about the status of Peng, who competed in three Olympics, helping to contribute to the IOC's multimillion-dollar revenue from broadcasting and sponsorships.
Emma Terho, the newly elected head of the IOC's Athletes' Commission that is charged with representing the interests of Olympic athletes, said in a statement Saturday we support the quiet diplomacy approach favoured by the IOC.
Last week, the foreign arm of state TV issued a statement in English attributed to Peng that retracted her accusation against Zhang. The WTA's Simon questioned its legitimacy while others said it only increased their concern about her safety.
Peng Shuai showed up at the opening ceremony of a teenager tennis match final in Beijing on Sunday morning. Global Times photo reporter Cui Meng captured her at scene. pic.twitter.com/7wlBcTMgGy
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) November 21, 2021
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EC meets representatives of political parties in West Bengal; maximum two-phase polling sought
Kolkata (PTI): Representatives of various political parties in West Bengal met the full bench of the Election Commission on Monday, and several of them sought a maximum of two-phase polling for the upcoming assembly elections, a senior official said.
Representatives of the TMC, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AAP, NPP and Forward Bloc, among others, met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who was accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal at a hotel in New Town near Kolkata.
"A wide range of issues concerning the conduct of elections in the state were discussed. Several parties suggested that the elections be held in one or two phases and assured their cooperation in ensuring that the polls remain peaceful," the EC official said.
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The parties urged the EC to take stringent measures to curb the activities of anti-social elements and prevent intimidation of voters during the elections, he said.
"They emphasised the need for strong security arrangements, including deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in adequate numbers, to curb violence and ensure that voters can cast their ballots without fear," he said.
Some parties also raised concerns about the possible use of crude bombs, illegal firearms and money or muscle power during the elections, he added.
During the meeting, the CEC assured the parties that elections are conducted strictly in accordance with the law and all necessary steps would be taken to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in the state, the official said.
"The Election Commission has zero tolerance towards violence. We will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring impartial, transparent and peaceful elections," Kumar told the pre-poll consultation meeting, according to the official.
He also reiterated that the SIR exercise had been conducted in a transparent and unbiased manner, stating that Forms 6, 7 and 8 can still be filed for inclusion, deletion or correction of entries in the electoral rolls.
