More than three years have passed since former Chinese doubles No. 1 Peng Shuai made global headlines with a shocking accusation against a high-ranking Communist Party official. In a since-deleted Weibo post from November 2021, the tennis star alleged that Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier of China, had coerced her into a sexual act. Almost immediately, her statement disappeared from the internet, and so did she.
International outcry followed. Human rights organizations, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), and governments around the world demanded proof of Peng’s safety. In response, carefully curated appearances and scripted interviews followed, but doubts over her freedom remain. Now, the mystery deepens as even China’s latest AI chatbot, DeepSeek, refuses to comment on the situation.
China’s DeepSeek erases Peng Shuai: The case too dangerous to speak of
Fast forward to today, and the Peng Shuai case continues to be a topic China would rather forget. Even the country’s powerful AI chatbot, DeepSeek, refuses to acknowledge it.
James Gray of The Paper tested DeepSeek’s willingness to discuss the matter and was met with abrupt refusals. “Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk…
