Ren Zhiqiang, an outspoken Chinese real-estate tycoon known as the “Big Cannon Ren,” has been placed under investigation in China after penning an essay in which he called President Xi Jinping “a clown who had no clothes but was still determined to be emperor.” Ren wrote an essay that went viral in February as China struggled to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Ren had previously been protected against punishment for his fiery speeches and essays because of his relationship with Vice President Wang Qishan. China has consistently sought to silence critics who have questioned Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.
