In two unexpected articles, the state-run Xinhua News Agency has shown what appears to be sympathy for 29-year-old billionaire businesswoman Wu Ying, who was recently sentenced to death for fraud.
Eight experts, including law professors, sociologists, economists and businessmen, were quoted by Xinhua on Monday as saying authorities needed to give Wu's case a second look, after the Zhejiang High Court upheld her death penalty on January 18.
Wu, from Zhejiang, was convicted of illegally collecting up to 770 million yuan (HK$947 million) from the public by means of high interest rates and deception.
Professor Qian Shuitu, dean of the school of finance at Zhejiang Industry and Commerce University, told Xinhua: 'The mainland's financial industry is still highly monopolised and controlled 30 years after economic reform. Private enterprises don't have enough legal financing channels to meet their demands.'
Some of those interviewed also said simply sentencing Wu to death would not solve the problem of illegal underground financing, and that there needed to be a fundamental change in the financing system.
But the Zhejiang court issued a statement from judge Shen Xiaoming to defend the ruling.