China | The affair of the pink dress

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People on a walkway, Hong Kong, China
Casual photography or anti-corruption campaign?Image: Alamy
|BEIJING

Public displays of affection can have dire consequences in China. Just ask Hu Jiyong. The boss (and Communist Party secretary) of the subsidiary of a state-owned firm held hands with a female subordinate as they strolled through Chengdu this month. Her pink dress caught the attention of a fashion photographer, who posted a video of the couple online. A commenter recognised Mr Hu and said that he was married to another woman.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “The pink-dress affair”

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