In today's China, the Chinese Communist Party has a tight grip on online discussions of many sensitive subjects. The topic of the Chained Woman found in a cold shed in a rural village near Xuzhou City has been under strict supervision and control since the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Chained Woman story drew angry outbursts from tens of millions Chinese, who could not believe women could be subject to such inhuman cruelty under the great, glorious and correct CCP leadership. The control of this topic came late as the senior leaders of the CCP were pre-occupied with greeting foreign dignitaries like Vladimir Putin and hosting ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. 




Little Pinks, those young people between 18-24 often with nationalistic views, tend to support the CCP over international events such as Taiwan and the Ukraine conflict. Some have expressed love for the CCP, the country and the governent. Some even praised Vladimir Putin for taking 'special military action' against Ukraine. It is estimated 83% of Little Pinks are female, according to a report by SCMP. More than half of the Little Pink are from third- and fourth-tier cities in China.




Many Little Pinks felt outraged over the brutal sufferings of the Chained Woman who bears a strong resemblance with the little girl named Li Ying who had been reported missing on her way home from school in Sichuan Province 22 years ago. Li Ying appeared to come from a happy family, who had a fair skin and good looks. Her father had served as captain in China's Armed Police in Xin Jiang region before being discharged. Then he got a job at the local food bureau. A stable and happy family life was shattered by the sudden disappearance of its daughter. After spending years searching for his only daughter without result, Li Ying father died of illness. 


From her strong facial resemblance, many believe the Chained Woman was Li Ying, the little girl who was abducted, sold as a sex slave and then forced into a marriage with a poor man named Dong Zhi Min in a rural village in Feng County near Xuzhou. She gave births to 8 kids from different men during a period when the official Chinese policy allowed only one child per family. Instead of being reprimanded, Dong received a monthly stipend from the local government. When asked if all the kids were his, Dong replied 'No matter who the father of the kid is, they have to call me dad. '


It would be unthinkable for Dong to violate the One-child policy, have 8 kids and still enjoy a monthly stipend without the knowledge, or approval of the local government officials.  It is believed that at least one local official participated in abuse of the Chained Woman. The official's wife learned of his action and started telling others about her unhappiness.  


Little Pinks mostly take a nationalistic stand, some siding with the CCP Wolf Diplomacy and some openly supporting armed invasion of Taiwan. However, when it comes to abduction and selling girls into slavery, Little Pinks realize that the traffickers would not care if they support the CCP, or Wolf Diplomacy. The traffickers profit from abducting and selling women as slaves under the cover of corrupt local police and officials. 


Even for the Little Pinks the 'Chained Woman' story is too unsettling or even frightening. After all, any girl can be knocked unconscious with a blow on the head and then her fate can sink to that of an abducted and sold woman. What happened to the little girl named Li Ying from Sichuan Province could happen to anyone.  


Little Pinks began to feel disgusted and outraged after the exposure of the 'Chained Woman', and after credible reports of the inaction or acquiescence by the local officials over such brazen criminal acts right under their nose. They got angrier when local officials came out with 4 different versions of explanation. Each explanation was clumsy and illogical with a cover-up tone such as the 'Chained Woman was picked up for care while she appeared lost', 'she was legally married', 'No malfeasance committed', etc. 


In the 5th version, local officials finally admitted some wrong doing and detained the man Dong Zhi Min, who kept the mother of 8 kids chained to a wall in an unheated shed. However, since some former local village officials got promoted to the municipal or even provincial levels, the investigation was run by men who may have committed or were conected in some way with the crime.  
 
Although a tiny number of corrupt local officials finally got demoted for the sorry state of the 'Chained Woman', not a single official was criminally charged for this egregious crime. Little Pinks got more upset and demanded an independent investigation. 


When some people tried to investigate on their own but were harassed, detained and beaten by local police, Little Pinks realized that they do not live in a society protected by the rule of law. Rather it is one ruled by the party and its police. The traffickers may be connected with and protected by the corrupt local police and government officials. The investigation in Xuzhou was run by these police and officials. 


Little Pinks realize now that they themselves live in danger as they have to constantly watch out for the traffickers. They do not know when that blow to the head will come to them.  For this some Little Pinks feel they must speak for the 'Chained Woman' because if not, no one will be there to speak when they become the victim of abduction. It is just too frightening an outcome for Little Pinks. 


The CCP and its central government belated attention to the 'Chained Woman' event showed that there is a big and widening gap between the leaders and the regular Chinese citizens, including Little Pinks. The citizens feel that the slogan-touting CCP has failed in providing a safe society, a basic duty for the governing party.