The U.K. has sentenced Chinese postgraduate student Zhenhao Zou to life in prison after evidence emerged of his involvement in a large-scale drugging and rape scheme across both Britain and China. Zou, a former student of Imperial College London, reportedly recorded and catalogued more than 1,400 instances of rape involving dozens of women, some of whom were unconscious or unresponsive during the assaults.
While U.K. authorities swiftly investigated and tried the case, the Chinese government has remained conspicuously silent. The Communist Party has made no official statement, and state media coverage has been non-existent—exposing, once again, Beijing’s pattern of silence on high-profile human rights abuses. Several of Zou’s alleged crimes occurred on Chinese soil, yet there’s no public record of any domestic prosecution. Critics argue that the CCP’s emphasis on social harmony and censorship trumps justice for victims, particularly in cases that could tarnish China’s global image.
Western media has used the case to reignite discussions about the CCP’s opaque judicial system and its track record of covering up sex crimes, domestic violence, and online harassment. “This isn’t just a criminal case,” said human rights advocate Maya Jenkins. “It’s a mirror reflecting China’s systemic failures.”
Simultaneously, China continued evacuating its citizens from Israel due to the conflict. Analysts believe the low-profile operation underscores Beijing’s reluctance to take a firm stand on Iran’s behavior, fearing it could undermine its Belt and Road investments in the region.
