The National University of Singapore (NUS) today announced the results of its investigation into the indecent assault case against Zheng Yongnian, the former director of the Institute of East Asian Studies (IAS), who was given a written warning for hugging a female staff member without her consent, although there was no evidence to substantiate the sexual harassment charge.
On August 24, Zheng Yongnian was invited to speak at a symposium of experts in the economic and social fields hosted by Xi Jinping, the Communist Party’s general secretary, in Beijing, and was therefore considered one of Xi’s think tanks.
The Singapore Union-Tribune reports that on September 13, 2019, Singkore police received a report of a 57-year-old man who allegedly sexually harassed a woman on May 30, 2018. The woman, who identified herself as a staff member at the National University of Singapore’s Institute of East Asian Studies, later tweeted that Zheng Yongnian allegedly harassed her and other female staff members.
After the sexual harassment allegations against Tay Yong Nian broke out in September, the National University of Singapore confirmed that Tay Yong Nian was involved in two alleged incidents of sexual harassment. One of the incidents resulted in a serious warning from the police, and the other was closed after the police investigation indicated that “no further action will be taken.
The university also said that an investigation committee was set up to investigate, but Zheng Yongnian later issued a statement announcing his resignation and denying the allegations.
According to reports, the National University of Singapore (NUS) issued a statement on July 17, saying that although there was no evidence to substantiate the sexual harassment allegations against Tay, he hugged a female staff member of the Institute of East Asian Studies without consent during a work meeting, which was “inappropriate in a professional environment” and in violation of the university’s code of conduct for employees.
According to the university’s regulations, the relevant sanction is a written warning to the person concerned, and NUS documented the results of the internal investigation and notified the departing Cheng Yong Nian.
NUS investigated Zheng Yongnian on three charges, which were, in order: on May 9, 2018, placing his hands on the shoulders and head of a female staff member of the East Asia Institute at a meeting; on May 30, 2018, hugging a female staff member and patting her buttocks at a meeting; and in October 2018, supporting a staff member of the East Asia Institute on her back while taking a group photo.
The report states that Jung admitted to hugging the female employee in his office on May 30, 2018, but denied patting or touching her buttocks. Aside from Zheng’s own admission of “hugging,” the investigation committee noted that there was a lack of evidence to substantiate the other allegations.
Zheng Yongnian was appointed director of the Institute for Advanced Study of Global and Contemporary China at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) on September 23 after returning to China from Singapore, which was described by the Communist Party’s official media, People’s Daily, as an academic think tank and policy research center based in Shenzhen with international influence.
On September 28, Shanghai Jiao Tong University established the Institute of Politics and Economics and appointed Mr. Zheng Yongnian as professor and honorary president, in a grand public ceremony.
Zheng Yongnian is currently active in the academic and public opinion circles in mainland China, where he is often interviewed by the land media to talk about China-US relations, the situation in East Asia, and to elaborate on Xi Jinping’s economic policies.
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