Chinese tennis player: White House "deeply concerned" over Peng Shuai case

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Peng Shuai (archive image)

Photo: ADNAN ABIDI / Reuters

The administration of US President Joe Biden has expressed "deeply concerned" about the case of the missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.

"We join the call on the authorities of the People's Republic of China to provide independent and verifiable evidence of their whereabouts and their safety," said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Friday.

In early November, Peng Shuai published allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician on the Weibo social network. The 35-year-old Chinese woman has not been seen in public since then. On Friday evening, a journalist from the state TV broadcaster CGTN published pictures of the Chinese tennis star on his Twitter account. When and under what circumstances the pictures were taken could not be clarified at first.

Psaki said any report of sexual assault against women should be investigated.

Women are supported in "expressing themselves and demanding accountability, whether here or in the rest of the world."

The US would also continue to advocate freedom of speech.

“We know that the People's Republic of China shows zero tolerance for criticism and silences those who express their opinion.

And we will continue to condemn these practices. "

cev / dpa