Chinese tycoon who criticised Chinese leadership facing prosecution (original) (raw)

Ren Zhiqiang, a prominent real estate tycoon and a vocal critic of the Communist Party leadership, has been expelled from the party and is expected to face criminal charges, Chinese authorities announced late on Thursday.

While Ren’s whereabouts are not known, his friends said that the tycoon was taken away from his sister’s home in Beijing by the party’s anti-graft officials in March.

Despite his party membership, he was a long-standing critic of the CCP, and has earned the nickname “Ren the Big Cannon” for his bold criticism.

His most recent article, circulating on the internet since March, was critical not only of the initial missteps of the government in handling the coronavirus outbreak, but also of the ways Beijing has sought to promote its successes and President Xi Jinping’s expansion of power.

While Ren did not mention Xi by name, he made references to an “emperor” and a “helmsman” who personally directed China’s fight against Covid-19 in his article.