Premium

Beijing silenced Peng Shuai in 20 minutes, then spent weeks on damage control

Paul Mozur, Muyi Xiao, Jeff Kao and Gray Beltran
New York Times·
10 mins to read
Beijing silenced Peng Shuai in 20 minutes, then spent weeks on damage control
Peng Shuai accused Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier, of sexual assault. Photo / AP

When inconvenient news erupts on the Chinese internet, the censors jump into action.

Twenty minutes was all it took to mobilise after Peng Shuai, the tennis star and one of China's most famous athletes, went online and accused Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier, of sexual assault.

The allegation reached

Save