Wu’s closed trial in Chaoyang People’s Court on Friday was reported late Friday night by the Chang’An Net, which belongs to China’s Central Committee on Political and Legal Affairs, which in turn is controlled by the ruling Communist Party. There has been some criticism on the Internet about the timing of the announcement of the trial. “I’m more concerned about the Tangshan issue,” the top Weibo commenter said in response to the news. The comment was liked over 22,000 times. The attack on four women dining at a restaurant in Tangshan, a seaside town east of Beijing, was recorded early Friday morning in surveillance footage widely shared on Weibo. By Sunday, police had arrested nine people on suspicion of violent assault. The public outcry over the case has rekindled a debate over misogyny and mistreatment of women in China. Earlier this year, a video appeared of a woman chained to a shack. The police investigation found that he had been trafficked and sold as a bride. The trial of Wu, a former member of the K-pop EXO band, was closed to the public to protect the victim’s privacy, state media reported. Wu was convicted of rape and “sexually assaulting a crime.” It was not clear what the allegations were about. Rape is punishable by three to 10 years in prison, although in exceptional cases life sentences and the death penalty may also be imposed. The second charge Wu faces is punishable by up to five years in prison. The verdict and any sentence to be handed down later, state media reported. Last year, a teenager accused Wu of having sex with her while she was drunk. Wu denied all allegations of wrongdoing. The teenager then said that seven other women contacted her to say that Wu seduced them with promises of jobs and other opportunities. He said some were under 18 years old.
