#metoo China edition? The alleged disappearance / denial of disappearance of tennis star Peng Shuai is an interesting chapter in the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to control social narrative while simultaneously participating on the global stage. Plenty of people have disappeared over the years, but the stars make the headlines. Jack Ma was set to become the richest man in China - "Go sit in the corner for three months Jack, and think about what it means to be a citizen of a communist country."

And Peng... "How will anyone respect authority if you publicly accuse them of unseemly acts?" Mind you, The West only got on board with #metoo in 2017 with a New York Times article about Harvey Weinstein. The hashtag didn't get much traction in 2006 - at least Harvey Weinstein didn't get the memo. And it wasn't until 2020 - three years after the New York Times article - that Weinstein's attorneys had to answer the memo. Sometimes it takes a celebrity appearance before anyone notices. #freebritney (2009-2020)?

So videos are released of Peng Shuai in public and the government denies knowledge that anything is amiss. In The West, this would be the stage where the trial drags everyone's dirty underwear onto the public stage; painful for both the victims and the accused, but the public is entitled to view the underwear, because how do we really know what the government and powerful people are up to? Unless... the victims all have accepted huge cash settlements (or threats of future unemployment) and in return signed non-disclosure agreements? No underwear. Nothing to see here. Note: NDAs are unenforceable if the agreement covers illegal acts.

How are the powerful held to account? Stay tuned for the China edition?