{"id":1055288,"date":"2021-11-25T15:44:09","date_gmt":"2021-11-25T20:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1055288"},"modified":"2021-11-25T15:44:12","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T20:44:12","slug":"hong-kong-broadcaster-disappears-report-on-missing-chinese-tennis-star-peng-shuai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hong-kong-broadcaster-disappears-report-on-missing-chinese-tennis-star-peng-shuai\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong Broadcaster Disappears Report on Missing Chinese Tennis Star Peng Shuai"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhong-kong-broadcaster-disappears-report-on-missing-chinese-tennis-star-peng-shuai%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1055288&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) deleted an article from its website without explanation on the ongoing scandal surrounding Chinese tennis champion Peng Shuai, the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported on Wednesday, who accused a high-ranking Communist Party official of rape.<\/p>\n<p>RTHK was once one of the city\u2019s most prestigious media outlets, home to news coverage as well as a variety of different programs. It is a taxpayer-funded organization.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>As part of China\u2019s illegal erasure of Hong Kong\u2019s democratic political framework following the 2019 anti-communist protests, Beijing-controlled officials have cracked down on programming and news content at RTHK that it interprets as challenging the authoritarian regime and replaced much of it with favorable propaganda.<\/p>\n<p>Peng Shuai\u2019s disappearance has largely failed to appear in Chinese media or on regime-controlled social media outlets, though regime propagandists have driven the narrative in the West by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/11\/22\/olympics-organizers-defend-china-with-undated-image-of-missing-tennis-star-peng-shuai\/\">publishing<\/a> bizarre photos and videos allegedly showing Peng happy and safe in Beijing. The regime abruptly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/sports\/2021\/11\/22\/watch-china-censors-cnn-live-feed-during-report-missing-chinese-tennis-player\/\">cut off<\/a> at least one attempt to discuss the issue broadcast in China \u2013 CNN\u2019s live feed in English \u2013 on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The tennis player disappeared from the public eye after publishing an explosive post on Twitter in early November accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of raping her before coercing her into what she portrayed as a consensual extramarital affair later. Peng\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatsonweibo.com\/the-silent-storm-peng-shuais-weibo-post\/\">post<\/a> revealed that she had lost her desire to live and compared the self-destructive nature of her public accusations to throwing an egg at a rock.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>The Weibo post disappeared, as did her account, and she herself has not been proven to have surfaced in public all month. In response to international outrage led by the Women\u2019s Tennis Association (WTA) and supported by nearly every single major tennis player on both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s tours, Chinese state media published an alleged \u201cemail\u201d from Peng claiming to be fine. Media outlets tied to the Communist Party later posted undated videos allegedly proving her safety.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18869594\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"36\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/winnie-the-pooh-and.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18869594\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/winnie-the-pooh-and.jpg\" alt=\"Missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai appeared in mysterious photos this weekend that included an image of Winnie the Pooh, who has become a symbol of resistance against communist dictator Xi Jinping, Australia&#039;s ABC News reported on Wednesday.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai appeared in mysterious photos this weekend that included an image of Winnie the Pooh, who has become a symbol of resistance against communist dictator Xi Jinping, Australia\u2019s ABC News reported on Wednesday. (Twitter)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>RTHK dared to publish a report on the scandal on November 18, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/hongkongfp.com\/2021\/11\/24\/hong-kong-broadcaster-rthk-deletes-report-on-peng-shuai-china-tennis-star-who-accused-ex-official-of-sexual-assault\/\">HKFP<\/a>, which posted a screencap of the now-empty URL.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe headline of the RTHK original report cited \u2018western media\u2019 as saying they had not been able to get in touch with Peng since early this month,\u201d HKFP noted. \u201cThe report also said Chinese media had published an email allegedly sent by Peng and reporting that she was resting at home, whose authenticity was questioned by the WTA chief.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>RTHK refused to explain the decision to delete the post in response to an inquiry from the HKFP.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The Hong Kong broadcaster was once one of Hong Kong\u2019s most thorough sources of news and permitted free political entertainment content. Like many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/the-media\/2021\/06\/24\/hundreds-hong-kong-pay-tribute-apple-daily-final-issue-sells-million-copies\/\">other<\/a> free journalistic outlets, it fell victim to China\u2019s \u201cnational security\u201d law. The communist National People\u2019s Congress (NPC), which has no legal jurisdiction over Hong Kong under the \u201cOne Country, Two Systems\u201d policy, passed a law in May 2020 that allowed the prosecution of anyone accused of acts of \u201cterrorism,\u201d \u201csecession,\u201d soliciting \u201cforeign interference,\u201d and \u201csubversion of state power.\u201d Hong Kong authorities have made clear since that they will target nearly any act interpreted as unapproving of Beijing with the law.<\/p>\n<p>The first major sign that the Chinese Communist Party was interested in censoring RTHK appeared in February 2020, when the Beijing-controlled Hong Kong government objected to a comedy sketch on the longstanding program&nbsp;<em>Headliner<\/em> that mocked Hong Kong\u2019s police force for brutality against peaceful protesters. Violent attacks on peaceful protesters became commonplace during the 2019 protests and a source of international human rights activist outrage, but the Hong Kong government did nothing to act in defense of its citizens. Instead, it demanded that comedians mocking the police on&nbsp;<em>Headliner<\/em> \u2013 and all programming on the entire network \u2013 be subject to a \u201cfull review\u201d to prevent \u201cnegligence and errors.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<div id=\"attachment_18057906\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"39\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/taiwan-hong-kong-vigil-AP.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18057906\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/taiwan-hong-kong-vigil-AP.jpg\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hong Kong and Taiwanese supporters hold slogans reading \u201cEvil National Security Legislation. The Escaped Prisoner Regulations 2.0\u201d during a protest against Beijing\u2019s national security legislation for Hong Kong, Thursday, May 28, 2020, in Taipei, Taiwan. (AP Photo\/Chiang Ying-ying)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>RTHK <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2020\/05\/20\/hong-kong-channel-rthk-forced-suspend-comedy-show-police-parody\/\">published<\/a> an apology in May and indefinitely suspended the show, which began to air on the network in 1989.<\/p>\n<p>The broadcaster has since <a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200608132946\/https:\/\/news.rthk.hk\/rthk\/en\/component\/k2\/1527100-20200519.htm?spTabChangeable=0\">deleted<\/a> the apology from its website.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>That same year, RTHK <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/national-security\/2020\/04\/02\/hong-kong-formally-reprimands-journalist-asking-who-official-about-taiwan\/\">reprimanded<\/a> one of its journalists for asking a World Health Organization (W.H.O.) about its systematic exclusion of the nation of Taiwan from its activities, particularly in light of its strong record on fighting Chinese coronavirus at the time (April 2020). The official,&nbsp;assistant director Bruce Aylward, did not answer the question, claiming he did not hear it, which resulted in an embarrassing moment for the W.H.O.<\/p>\n<p>RTHK <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/news\/hong-kong-broadcaster-forbids-taiwan-government-references\/\">banned<\/a> staffers from referring to Taiwan accurately as a country or referring to its government in July. China claims that Taiwan is a province under Beijing despite no historical precedent for the claim and no real-world power over the island nation.<\/p>\n<p>To replace the content it has banned, RTHK has begun producing pro-Chinese Communist Party and Hong Kong government propaganda. In May 2021, a year after de facto canceling&nbsp;<em>Headliners<\/em>, RTHK <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/05\/08\/hong-kong-leader-gets-tv-show-on-local-broadcaster-after-pro-china-takeover\/\">announced<\/a> a program titled&nbsp;<em>Get to Know the Election Committee Subsectors<\/em> hosted by Hong Kong Chief Executive and unpopular Beijing crony Carrie Lam.<\/p>\n<p>Anonymous RTHK staffers complained at the time that Lam\u2019s show was \u201cpropaganda.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1637839367589000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1xZ9qF8gkPD0iPE8F5_2Jk\">Facebook<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1637839367589000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2fa3a0oYmUDQkjH4detcuH\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) deleted an article from its website without explanation on the ongoing scandal surrounding Chinese tennis champion Peng Shuai, the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1055288","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1055288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1055288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1055288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1055288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1055288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1055288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}