New York-based Duowei News has posted a cartoon showing Caixin Media founding editor Hu Shuli and primary shareholder of Zenith Holdings Guo Wengui in kung fu-style confrontation as their powerful backers overlook the face-off with forlorn expressions:
After Caixin Media published an exposé late last month alleging that primary shareholder of Beijing Zenith Holdings Guo Wengui had colluded with former deputy state security minister Ma Jian in bringing down Beijing’s vice mayor over a property dispute between Zenith and state-owned Founder Group, Guo struck back at Caixin editor-in-chief Hu Shuli. Guo published an open letter accusing Hu of illegally possessing Founder stocks, having an affair with Founder CEO Li You, and dispatching reporters to dig up Guo family history. After the letter was promoted by Zenith-operated social media accounts, Internet censors ordered it off the Internet, and Hu Shuli indicated her plans to sue Zenith and Guo. Soon after, Zenith’s website posted an announcement reiterating the veracity of the claims against Hu, denying the “malicious slander and false reports” on Guo, and outlining the repeated blocking of their Weibo account. Despite the nationwide censorship directive, the open letter to Hu Shuli remains online at Zenith’s mainland-hosted website.
