Big Cannon: Ren Zhiqiang(3)

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Quickly, Ren Zhiqiang transformed from the person people "most wanted to hit" to the "most wanted to marry" figure, gaining the nickname "Big Cannon." This marked a shift in his public image, and over the years, he participated in many of Weibo's most notorious disputes. By 2014, Ren had officially retired, but he didn’t exit China's public opinion arena. Instead, he continued as a super influencer on Weibo. However, his unfiltered remarks on public platforms eventually led him into serious trouble.

Title: "From 'Public Enemy' to 'People's Darling'" — Title: **"From 'Public Enemy' to 'People's Darling'"**

On February 19, 2016, Xi Jinping visited CCTV, and the network displayed three prominent slogans on its large public screen: "CCTV belongs to the Party, absolutely loyal, awaiting your review." These statements resonated strongly with the public. Those familiar with China's political language recognized these as typical military phrases. Under Zhu Rongji's administration, it was emphasized that CCTV was the voice of the people, not the Party. This change signaled CCTV's allegiance to Xi Jinping, who held a distinct view on the role of media.

Ren Zhiqiang couldn’t stay silent after this news broke. He wrote on Weibo, "Since when did the people's government turn into the Party's government? Are we spending Party dues?" This remark crossed a red line. Many media outlets retaliated, with headlines such as "Who gave Ren Zhiqiang the courage to oppose the Party?" and "Ren Zhiqiang's 'Party-People Opposition' Theory is Malicious." The Propaganda Department specifically wrote an article criticizing him, and two days later, Ren's Weibo account was permanently suspended. Soon, the Beijing Xicheng District government disciplined him, putting him under a year-long probation within the Party. Not long after, all of his social media accounts were banned.

"I know that sometimes speaking the truth comes at a cost, but what is the highest pursuit in life? At the very least, I refuse to lose my dignity," Ren stated in an interview. In 2020, as COVID-19 broke out in Wuhan, he couldn’t contain himself any longer and penned an 8,500-word letter, where he directly criticized Xi Jinping as a "clown who insists on being emperor without wearing clothes." The full text can be found at this link: https://chinadigitaltimes.net/chinese/638127.html.

In the final part of his letter, Ren remarked, "The problem in China today is not one of Party leadership but that this country has only Party leadership. There is no interest or right of the people, and thus, it’s not far from another 'Smash the Gang of Four,' another Deng Xiaoping, another wave of reform and opening up. Do you want to be the cost of that?" This essay clearly angered Xi Jinping. On March 12, Ren Zhiqiang was arrested, and by March 15, the media confirmed the news. On September 22 that year, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

He was convicted on four counts: embezzlement, bribery, misappropriation of public funds, and abuse of power, with embezzlement amounting to 49.74 million yuan. For entrepreneurs like Ren, it's difficult to avoid any irregularities in business over decades, but his 2011 retirement audit found no issues. Only after his criticism of Xi did these accusations arise. Therefore, his arrest was less about economic issues and more about the political consequences of openly criticizing Xi Jinping. It’s said that on the day of his trial, Ren’s family arranged for a lawyer, but he chose to represent himself, opting for self-defense. However, without publicly available footage, it’s unclear whether he defended himself or resisted in silence. Ren Zhiqiang did not appeal after receiving his 18-year sentence.

On October 2, 2024, Ren Xinyi published an open letter to Xi Jinping on WeChat, stating that Ren Zhiqiang's prostate condition had worsened in prison, and he had developed asthma but was denied surgery. She appealed to Xi Jinping to allow Ren to be released on medical parole and receive treatment abroad on humanitarian grounds, promising that, should he go abroad, he would refrain from making any public statements or comments.

It remains unknown whether Xi Jinping will respond.