China Investigates Ren Zuchang for Alleged Legal Violations After Criticizing COVID-19 Response

Photo of Runschang [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] It has been revealed that Ren Zuchang, a Chinese real estate tycoon who went missing after criticizing the Chinese government's response to COVID-19, is under investigation by Chinese authorities for legal violations.

On the 7th (local time), the Discipline Inspection Commission of Xicheng District, Beijing, announced on its website that Ren Zuchang, former chairman of the state-owned real estate developer Huayuan (華遠) Group, is being investigated by authorities for serious violations of discipline and law. The specific violations were not disclosed.

Ren Zuchang reportedly went missing suddenly on the 12th of last month after writing posts criticizing the Chinese government's COVID-19 response. Although rumors circulated in Chinese media that he was under government investigation, this is the first time the authorities have publicly confirmed it.

He criticized the Chinese Communist Party's 'governance crisis' revealed during the COVID-19 response, stating that the lack of freedom of the press and expression prevented early control of the virus, worsening the situation. He also criticized President Xi Jinping's emphasis on COVID-19 response and his video conference with 170,000 party and government officials across China, saying, "Watching President Xi's speech at the meeting, it seems not an emperor showing off 'new clothes' is standing there, but a 'naked clown' who keeps insisting he is the emperor."

Ren Zuchang, a second-generation member of the revolutionary group, has previously made critical remarks about the government in various fields, earning him the reputation of an 'opinion leader' within China while simultaneously being labeled a 'person of interest' by the government. In 2016, after criticizing the state media's loyalty pledge to President Xi, his Weibo (China's version of Twitter) account, which had 37 million followers, was shut down, and he was disciplined with a 'one-year party observation' sanction.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.