It was to be one of the biggest #MeToo trials China had ever seen, set to begin on the other side of the world in the US state of Minnesota.
The defendant was a 49-year-old billionaire known as the “Jeff Bezos of China.” The accuser was a 25-year-old Chinese graduate student who said he sexually assaulted her.
A civil trial will be held in open court – almost impossible in China, but the reality in this case is that the trial will take place in Hennepin County, Minnesota, where the crime allegedly occurred.
But in a surprising turn of events on the eve of their court battle, Richard Liu – known to the Chinese as Liu Qiangdong – and Liu Jingyao have agreed to a settlement, avoiding trial.
The two are not related, Liu is a common Chinese surname.
A statement issued by lawyers for both sides on Saturday night said the incident was “the result of a misunderstanding that has attracted considerable public attention and caused deep suffering to the parties and their families.” Had to”.
“Today, the parties agreed to set aside their differences and resolve the legal dispute to avoid further pain and suffering caused by litigation.”
The news shocked many in China and dominated Chinese social media, where within hours the hashtags had garnered millions of views and comments on Weibo.
Millions of Chinese were planning to watch the trial closely in a far more transparent legal system than China’s. Some experts believed that Liu Jingyao had a better chance of winning in the United States.
Now, with a settlement settled behind closed doors, the case is likely to spark even more speculation and add uncertainty to China’s troubled MeToo movement.
Battle of Narratives
Long before the trial, the Chinese public’s perception of the case was profoundly shaped by a series of video and audio clips that occurred on the night of August 30, 2018.
At that time, Liu Jingyao was studying at the University of Minnesota. He was invited to attend a networking dinner attended by Richard Liu, founder of e-retailing giant JD.com, and other powerful Chinese executives. The two then went to his apartment.
