Recently, a Chinese case of sexual assault within the CCP has generated significant discussion online. The case involves Mao Qi, the CCP Party Secretary of Wannian County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, who is accused of sexually assaulting Li Peixia, the party secretary of a subordinate local township.
On July 25, Li Peixia’s father reported online that Mao Qi had continuously molested and sexually assaulted his daughter. Li’s father stated that, on May 23, Li Peixia had a dispute with Mao Qi and declared that she would report him to the disciplinary inspection commission. However, three days later, the Wannian County disciplinary inspection and supervision commission took Li Peixia away. She has been out of contact and has not been seen in public ever since.
Li’s father traveled to a different province (to avoid being blocked by the local authorities) and then posted three audio recordings online; the recordings were evidence of Mao’s sexual assault against Li. Li Peixia had left her family a USB drive with eight recordings and said that, if something were to happen to her, this USB drive could save her life. The following day, a joint investigation team from Shangrao City met with Li’s father. He handed over the evidence and requested to see his daughter. So far his request has not been honored.
On the evening of July 26, the Jiangxi authorities announced that Mao Qi had voluntarily confessed and was under disciplinary review and supervisory investigation. Netizens, reviewing Mao Qi’s resume online, noted that he has gone through rapid promotions over the years, suggesting that he is likely to have backing by CCP members at higher ranks.
On July 29, Internet commentator Cai Shenkun revealed on the X platform that Lan Yun, the Secretary of the Wannian County Discipline Inspection Commission, confessed to the higher-level disciplinary inspection commission that Mao Qi called her into his office at 7 PM on May 25 and said that Li Peixia had been disobedient and was incapable. Lan said that Mao told her that Li had threatened to report Mao to higher authorities. Mao ordered Lan to take several actions immediately: 1. Issue a document ordering removal of Li Peixia from all of her positions on the grounds of serious violations; 2. Arrest Li on that evening and interrogate her regarding her corruption; 3. Seize all of Li’s phones and computers to prevent her from disseminating information; 4. Detain her for a few months, even if no problems are found, in order that there would be sufficient time to find some issues with her; 5. Monitor Li’s family movements and control them if they attempt to petition on Li’s behalf.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has silenced discussion of these topics on the Internet. Li’s whereabouts, and whether she is still alive, are currently unknown.
This case exposes the internal corruption and dark operations within the CCP:
- Mao’s orders to the disciplinary inspection commission to take a comprehensive actions against Li Peixia shows that, within the CCP system, higher-ups can act with impunity and order opaque operations, leaving individuals with no security.
- Shangrao City joint investigation team promised Li’s father a “fair and thorough investigation,” took his evidence from him, and requested that he delete the audio recordings that he posted online. They said they would report his request to see his daughter to higher authorities, but they have since been unresponsive. Their actions may simply be a result of following the CCP’s “stability maintenance” strategy, which means protecting the image of the government and officials by quickly blocking dissemination of information and “calming” public opinion online.
- The fact that Mao was able to order the disciplinary inspection commission to arrest Li Peixia reveals that the disciplinary inspection commission is not an independent oversight body but rather a tool of the CCP used for internal purges.
- Li Peixia was clearly aware of the risks posed by going against Mao. She knew that, once she had a falling out with higher-level officials, Mao and the CCP system could go to any lengths to silence her, including potentially killing her. Thus, her only hope was to go to the internet and to hope that public opinion might be able to save her life. It seems that publicly airing evidence of her plight was not sufficient to save her, however.
Source: Epoch Times, August 3, 2024
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/24/8/3/n14304155.htm