Ai Weiwei’s wife, Lu Qing, was questioned at a Beijing police station on Tuesday afternoon, and later released [zh]. The Guardian’s Tania Branigan spoke to Ai, who said that he did not know why she had been summoned:
… “I think the tax would not be the problem because we have followed the instructions and paid the bond [the first required payment] and they seemed quite satisfied. For them that was winning a victory.
“That’s why I feel it’s not dangerous for her. If there was anything they were going to do it would come to me directly ….”
The artist added: “I’m worried, but nothing can help because when my arrest and release happened, it never had an explanation. When you know your worry will not help then you have to give it up. This is not something where you can find a solution.
“It seems there are two different logics co-existing in this world. They must have a strong reason but we will never have it and they will not communicate.”
Ai’s associate Liu Yanping later reported on Twitter [zh] that the questioning had been similar to that on earlier occasions, covering Lu Qing’s personal circumstances and Fake Cultural Development Ltd’s designs for construction in Ordos. However, Lu is now considered a suspect, rather than merely a witness, and has been instructed not to leave Beijing.
