IOC gives encouraging news on Peng Shuai 1:01
(CNN Spanish) -
Tennis player Peng Shuai, one of China's most recognized athletes, temporarily disappeared from the public stage after accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of forcing her to have sex, in a letter published on November 2 in his social networks.
This is the last in a long list of personalities who have disappeared from public life in the country after having problems with the government.
Shortly after it was published, Peng's impeachment message was erased, amid a far-reaching censorship campaign, and the tennis player appeared to disappear from the public stage, causing great concern inside and outside of China about her whereabouts.
ANALYSIS |
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai finally appeared in public, but concerns remain and this is why
International pressure grew and on Friday, 17 days after Peng's accusation was known, several Chinese state media published for the first time alleged photos of the tennis player at her home, who assured these sources that she was fine.
Then came a video call with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, in which Peng reiterated that he was fine.
Peng Shuai's disappearance worries the Women's Tennis Association 2:30
The saga of Peng's temporary "disappearance" and his reappearance in the midst of a campaign orchestrated by state media is not new in China: it has occurred with different high-profile figures who had crossovers with the government.
In some cases, these clashes are part of the campaign against corruption launched in recent years by the President of China, Xi Jinping, through which it is common to see businessmen and politicians detained without prior notice to be investigated.
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Numerous businessmen have also been investigated for alleged market manipulation during the 2015 China stock market crash.
There are times, however, when the reason for the disappearance seems less clear.
China's top executives keep disappearing 1:15
Here is a list of the most recent cases of "missing" personalities in China:
Tech mogul Jack Ma
At the end of October 2020 the powerful tech entrepreneur Jack Ma, founder of Ali Baba - the e-commerce giant under pressure from Beijing - temporarily ceased all public appearances and social media engagements.
For months nothing was heard from the tycoon, in the context of the Chinese government blocking at the last minute the long-awaited listing of Alibaba's financial subsidiary, Ant Group.
Ma even earlier accused the authorities of stifling innovation and criticized the country's banks for having a "pawnshop" mentality.
The billionaire finally appeared in January 2021 in a video posted by Chinese state media.
He was shown speaking to teachers in rural China as part of a philanthropic event.
Movie star Fan Bingbing
In October 2018, Chinese movie star Fan Bingbing appeared in public for the first time since she vanished without a trace three months earlier, after several allegations of tax evasion against Fan were aired on social media in June.
Fan is one of China's best-known movie stars and has participated in international franchises such as "X-Men."
Fan Bingbing, Chinese actress, reappears 0:35
Some experts speculated that she had been detained by the Chinese government while the accusations against her were being investigated.
On October 2, the government announced that Fan had been fined US $ 130 million for tax evasion, having used multiple contracts to conceal large secret additional salaries for her actions.
The amount included $ 42 million in late fees and taxes.
The actress posted an apology on her social media accounts, saying that she "fully accepted" the authorities' decision.
Casino mogul Yang Zhihui
The president of Landing International Development, owner of one of the largest casinos in South Korea, disappeared without a trace in August 2018, causing a 50% drop in his company's shares.
Yang reappeared three months later, in November 2018, and his company said he had been assisting authorities in an investigation, according to the respected Chinese newspaper
Caixin
.
Wu Xiaohui, president of an insurance giant
Wu, the president of a huge insurance company Anbang that owns assets around the world, including the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, abruptly disappeared in June 2017.
Reports later emerged that the government was investigating him, and in May 2018 a Shanghai court handed down a ruling against the former Anbang president after he was convicted of fraud and embezzlement, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.
Wu also had 10.5 billion yuan (US $ 1.7 billion) of his properties seized, according to the report.
Jack Ma makes his first public appearance in months 0:55
Ge Kun, treasurer of a leading dairy company
In March 2017, contact with businesswoman Ge Kun, treasurer of the dairy company Huishan Dairy, was lost, after which the company's shares fell 91% in one day.
The company even filed a disappearance complaint with the police.
On the same day of his disappearance, according to the company, its president and majority shareholder, Yang Kai, learned that Huishan had not made some of his bank payments.
Ge is Yang's wife, according to Caixin, and she sent a letter to her husband "stating that the recent work stress had taken a toll on her health, that she would be taking leave and that she does not want to be contacted at this time," Huishan said. .
Huishan did not respond to a request for comment from CNN in 2017 about Ge and Yang's relationship.
Billionaire Xiao Jianhua
Xiao, chairman of the Tomorrow Group, was arrested in January 2017 at his apartment in Hong Kong and taken to mainland China.
Shortly afterwards, Xiao's alleged message was published on the cover of the Mingpao newspaper in Hong Kong, denying that he had been kidnapped and that, on the contrary, he was "recovering abroad."
Guo Guangchang, from the conglomerate Fosun Group
China's so-called "Warren Buffett" runs the conglomerate Fosun Group, with stakes in Club Med, Cirque de Soleil and Thomas Cook, among others, and disappeared for several days in 2015.
After reappearing, the company, which had suspended its trading during the disappearance, said that Guo had been assisting authorities with an investigation.
Textile billionaire Zhou Chengjian
Zhou disappeared in January 2016, and reports emerged shortly after that he was detained, after which his textile company Metersbonwe suspended its trading on the stock exchange.
He resumed his activities 10 days later, without giving explanations.
