China’s state media today disclosed a case of a Communist Party Secretary of a middle school in Handan, Hebei Province, suspected of sexually assaulting an underage female student. The incident caused a public outcry and was swiftly deleted from the internet, with related topics removed from the trending lists.
According to a report by the “China News Weekly,” Li Ting’s mother, Wang Fang (alias), revealed that Qiao Mujun often posted school introductions on his personal account. Li Ting was attracted after seeing these introductions before her high school entrance exam. She followed Qiao Mujun on social media, took the entrance exam for that school, and got accepted.
An informant named Han Fei (alias) stated that Qiao Mujun was good at playing table tennis and would often play with students. Wang Fang mentioned that Qiao Mujun had previously coached Li Ting in table tennis at school.
On February 21st (the fifth day of the Lunar New Year), Qiao Mujun contacted Li Ting through an online platform to practice table tennis at school. Subsequently, he sexually assaulted Li Ting in his office.
However, Li Ting did not inform her parents of the incident. Wang Fang noticed a change in her daughter’s behavior – once outgoing, Li Ting became depressed and would cry secretly at night.
In March, Wang Fang saw records on Li Ting’s phone of purchasing contraceptives online, which led to the revelation of her daughter’s experience through questioning.
Li Ting was considering buying the medicine out of fear of pregnancy. Wang Fang mentioned that her daughter’s emotions had drastically changed, prompting her to temporarily suspend school for Li Ting. She met with Qiao Mujun at the school, but he did not apologize for his despicable actions.
Wang Fang said that Qiao Mujun initially offered 100,000 yuan for a settlement, which he later increased to 200,000 yuan. However, she refused these offers, stating that she would not negotiate with her daughter’s body at stake. Her demands included proper medical care for her daughter, transferring schools, and holding Qiao Mujun accountable both criminally and civilly.
On March 18th, Wang Fang reported the incident to the police. Qiao Mujun was criminally detained by the public security organ of a district in Handan on March 22nd, and was arrested by the procuratorate of the same district on March 30th.
The incident quickly sparked public outrage, with topics like “Party Secretary of a middle school in Handan involved in student sexual assault” trending on social media platforms. However, within a day, relevant information began to systematically disappear.
Several leading news websites deleted their reposted reports, displaying a “page not found” message. The original reports were also taken down. On platforms like Weibo, keywords related to the incident were removed from the trending list, significantly decreasing the discussion. In a short time, what was initially a public incident in the spotlight was swiftly “cooled down.”
Currently, on mainstream platforms in mainland China, it is difficult to access comprehensive information. However, information can still be retrieved through overseas channels, creating a stark contrast.
The school involved refused to respond, and the prosecution did not disclose detailed information about the case, only stating that it was “inconvenient to reveal” to the public.
According to Freedom House’s report, the internet in China is subject to high levels of censorship. Topics related to abuse of power and public safety often face content deletion and dissemination restrictions. The censorship system aims to control public opinion by regulating online discourse and intervening, suppressing voices concerning Xinjiang, ethnic minorities, and government dissent, maintaining its control over the online space.
On March 19th, Freedom House released its latest 2026 report on global freedom. The results indicated that political rights and civil liberties worldwide have been declining for the 20th consecutive year, with democratic systems facing ongoing pressure. China received a score of only 9 out of 100, remaining classified as a “Not Free” country.