Ren Zhiqiang, a princeling and a real estate tycoon, who called Xi Jinping a “clown” in his article, “A Clown Who Stripped Naked and Insisted on Continuing to Be an Emperor” (See Chinascope’s posting: Leadership: Ren Zhiqiang’s Article: “A Clown Who Stripped Naked and Insisted on Continuing to Be an Emperor”) was arrested in March (see Chinascope’s posting: Leadership: Ren Zhiqiang Disappeared).
Since then, there has been much unconfirmed information about him. Radio France International reported that some said that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection locked him up; some said that he was sent to a hospital due to severe illness; and some said he held a hunger strike. There was news that five retired top-ranking officials wrote Xi a letter to request that Ren be released; those five top-ranking officials were Li Ruihuan, Wen Jiabao, Li Lanqing, Qu Qili, and Tian Jiyun. There has also been news that Ren’s business friends wrote a petition for his release.
On April 7, the Xicheng District Party Commission for Discipline Inspection published a notice that Ren Zhiqiang had violated party discipline and law and was under its disciplinary review and investigation. However, it did not mention which discipline and which law he had violated. (Radio Free Asia)
Apple Daily reported that it was Cai Qi, the Beijing Party Secretary, who decided to take on Ren’s case. Letting the Xicheng District handle Ren’s case showed that Cai Qi did not want to make the case into a big deal; he just wanted a resolution that will be acceptable to Zhongnanhai.
Related postings on Chinascope:
- Leadership: Ren Zhiqiang Disappeared
- Leadership: Ren Zhiqiang’s Article: “A Clown Who Stripped Naked and Insisted on Continuing to Be an Emperor”
- Leadership: Xi Jinping Gave Instructions When Visiting Zhejiang Province
- Leadership: Li Keqiang Warned the Coronavirus Risk in China and Asked to Manage the Asymptomatic Carriers
- Leadership: Li Keqiang Asked Officials Not to Hide Data and Prepare for a Long-Lasting Work
1. Excerpt in Chinese:
那之后，任志强失踪了，引发舆论的强烈关注，有说他被中纪委隔离了，有说他患重病送院抢救的，还有点说他在绝食的，。3月25日传出“五老上书”习近平要求释放任志强，26日，传出马云等企业家联名透过李克强要求释放任志强，各种传闻，真假难辨。
3月31日，著名记者高瑜转发一则消息否认了任志强在绝食。高瑜后来发出的另外一推说，“老任住在原铁道部太平庄交通部党校，由其外甥萧飒照顾其生活起居，昨夜委托北京市委宣传部副部长徐和建对外捎句话：‘我很好，我不是被软禁，我这是党内禁闭，我的党籍不会被开除，大家放心!’”。
这两天，任志强的好友发出一份致北京市委的公开信，他们向北京市委要人。信中写道：任先生无论触犯了任何法律，都不应该在光天化日之下被‘失踪’，那种‘秘密抓捕’只是野蛮时代的产物，与现代文明格格不入，这种事情的发生，只会令大国形象受损，只会令一个政权丧失公信力”。
一批自认为是任志强“精神朋友”的海外学者或独立人士以及网络闻人也加入了签名信，包括李江琳，夏明，吴祚来，一剑飘尘，老灯等人。他们表示虽与任志强先生素昧平生，然而认同他对正义对真理的追求，抗议当局对他非法物理的抓捕关押，要求立即释放任志强。
关于任志强的各种传闻难以查实，但这是一个非常诡异的现象，有人认为这一现象说明中国人心浮动，政局微妙，而大权在握的习近平实际上不得人心。习近平最后会放过任志强吗？比较乐观的分析认为：习近平现在有点骑虎难下，如果严惩重判，会受到党内各方的异议和政治压力，如果轻放，有可能造成其他人群起效仿。
Source: Radio France International, March 31, 2020
http://www.rfi.fr/cn/中国/20200331-如何处理任志强-习近平骑虎难下
2. Excerpt in Chinese:
中国红二代，北京地产大亨任志强上个月发表批评中国领导人习近平和中国政府的文章，数日后被当局带走。本周二（4月7日）北京市纪委宣布任志强涉嫌严重违纪违法，正接受纪律审查和监察调查。
北京市西城区纪委监委的通告称，北京市华远集团原党委副书记、董事长任志强涉嫌严重违纪违法，目前正接受北京市西城区纪委区监委纪律审查和监察调查。不过，官方未在公告中提及任志强涉嫌违纪违规的具体内容。
据知情人士披露，当局如果以“违反党纪”为名查任志强，充其量开除中共党籍，但若从违法犯罪进行查处，必被判刑。一位知情人士对本台解释，官方要调查一位商人所谓违法行为，不费吹灰之力。
Source: Radio Free Asia, April 8, 2020
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-04082020051312.html
3. Excerpt in Chinese:
有消息來源向《蘋果》透露，此時公開處理任的問題，是北京市委書記蔡奇於6日拍板，同時還決定對查建國等人有關要求追究武漢疫情責任的公開信立案調查。消息又透露，任志強案將交由北京西城區紀委監辦理，說明蔡奇也不想把事情鬧大，只要對中南海交代得過去就行。
Source: Apple Daily, April 7, 2020
https://hk.appledaily.com/china/20200407/GKVHVWXFUMMNKM4YRK3LF7SVOE/