China has been into discussions with the onset of the Pandemic but now a diplomat has been sentenced. Ren Zhiqiang, a former real estate tycoon and an outspoken basher of China's President Xi Jinping has been sentenced to 18 years in jail on charges of corruption. A court in Beijing found Ren Zhiqiang "guilty of corruption, bribery and embezzlement of public funds", the state media was quoted informing a media house. He will also have to pay a fine of 4.2m yuan (£482,950;$620,000). Ren went missing in March this year shortly after writing an essay said to be critical of President Xi.
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Although it did not directly name President Xi, it was extensively believed to be about him. The Beijing No 2 Intermediate People's Court stated that Ren had accepted tips worth 1.25m and embezzled almost 50m yuan. He is said to have "voluntarily" admitted to all charges and will not appeal against the decision. The former chairman of the Hua Yuan Property Company was not only a business tycoon.
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The son of a ministry official, he was also known to have close ties with senior party leaders and was in a position from which his critiques of the party would be particularly useful. Rights groups have constantly accused China of corruption charges as a way to clamp down on dissent. Ren's sharply critical essay had been about Beijing's handling of the virus outbreak and came after a televised speech by President Xi.