Minnesota: Chinese Billionaire Settles Sexual Assault Case

Facts

• Richard Liu, a Chinese billionaire and entrepreneur who founded JD.com INC, has settled a long-running legal battle with Liu Jingyao, a Chinese citizen, who accused him of sexually assaulting her in Minnesota in 2018. Jingyao was a 21-year-old student at the time of the alleged offence, which Richard Liu maintained was consensual.
• A statement issued on Saturday by both parties read: "The incident between Ms. Jingyao Liu and Mr. Richard Liu... resulted in a misunderstanding that has consumed substantial public attention and brought profound suffering to the parties and their families." The words came just two days before a civil trial had been due to begin in Minnesota.
• The case generated large-scale interest and controversy in China, where Richard Liu's reputation as a high-profile, e-commerce billionaire was highly scrutinized as a result of the proceedings. He also resigned from his role in the advisory body to China's parliament in 2019 - the year Liu Jingyao filed a civil suit - due to "personal reasons."
• Meanwhile, Liu Jingyao faced criticism via the Chinese Twitter-like platform, Weibo, over her allegations. Some expressed sympathy for the businessman and accused her of falsifying accusations and filing a suit for financial gain. Her supporters, however, have touted the settlement as a "historic moment."
• According to Liu Jingyao's lawyers, the incident and subsequent public vilification left her with a permanent post-traumatic stress disorder. Her representatives also claim that she fears repercussions from Richard Liu if she ever returned to China, as well as other executives with links to upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party that were present at a dinner on the night in question.
• Details of the settlement haven't been made public. It's not clear why Liu Jingyao agreed to settle now or whether she signed an NDA, but her supporters have claimed that the stress of an approaching public court battle prompted her to pursue an out of court settlement.

Sources: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNN, and BBC News.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by NY Times. If any good has come of this tragedy, it's that these events have exposed the role of wealth and power in cases of sexual assault in China. Wide discussion of these issues - generally seen as taboo among the Chinese public - has gone some way to generating debate, and enabling victims of assault to speak out. This is a victory for the Chinese #MeToo movement.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Global Times. China, like every other nation, certainly still faces sexual harassment and gender discrimination issues, and this settlement is a small victory. However, it shouldn't be used to galvanize the nation's #MeToo movement, which is nothing more than a Western tool to sow chaos and division, not tackle real problems. The PRC takes allegations of sexual assault seriously and investigates them to the fullest, but it requires solid evidence - not mere accusations - to confirm assault.