A leading Chinese economist has stopped appearing in public after criticizing the actions of Chinese President Xi Jinping in a closed chat, reports The Wall Street Journal, cited by Focus.
In the spring of 2024, Zhu Hengpeng was fired from his position as deputy director of the CASS think tank and detained. According to the publication, this happened after he criticized the economic policy of the Chinese leader in a closed group chat on the WeChat social network.
The expert has not appeared in public since April. CASS, where the economist worked, is a ministerial-level think tank that reports directly to the State Council. Zhu has worked at CASS for more than two decades, *WSJ* reports.
From 2013 to 2015, he was an independent director in the state-owned pharmaceutical company *China Meheco Group*.
According to the *WSJ*, Zhu's legal status is unclear. He did not respond to questions by email, and his apartment was not open to reporters. The press office of the State Council does not comment on the economist's whereabouts.