Translation of Peng Shuai’s original social media post

February 7, 2022 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — In a highly controlled interview arranged by Chinese Olympic organizers and published Monday by a French newspaper, tennis star Peng Shuai said she did not accuse a former high-ranking government official of sexual assault.

AP journalists translated screenshots of the original November 2 Weibo post from Chinese to English. The post includes Peng talking about the romantic feelings she developed for Zhang Gaoli, a former vice premier and member of the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee. She goes into detail about one encounter with Zhang. Peng refers to Zhang’s wife - who she says was involved with their encounter - as “Auntie.”

___

That afternoon, I was very scared, I didn’t think it would be like this, one person on the outside keeping a lookout, because no one can believe the wife would be willing. Seven years ago, we had sexual relations once, then you were promoted to the standing committee and went to Beijing and did not contact me again.

Originally, I buried all this in my heart, since it didn’t seem like you would take responsibility, why would you even come find me again, take me to your house and force me and you to have sexual relations?

Yes, I have no evidence, but there’s no way to leave any evidence. Later, you kept on denying it, but you did like me first, otherwise I wouldn’t even be able to come into contact with you.

That afternoon, I originally didn’t agree and kept on crying, and ate dinner together with you and Auntie Kang Ji. You said the universe is very big, the earth is just a grain of sand in the universe, and we as humans aren’t even a speck of sand. You said a lot, just to take the burden off of my mind. After dinner, I still didn’t want to, and you said you hated me! And you also said these seven years, you’ve never forgotten me, and you’ll be good to me, etc. etc. I was nervous and afraid (or panicked), and agreed, carrying the emotions for you from seven years ago….yes, we had sexual relations.