Anger after Chinese delegate to Melbourne charged with rape of student

Song Jingsong, a 43-year-old Chinese official who heads an urban planning institute in Guangzhou, was little known in China's social media until this week, when an Australian newspaper reported that he had been charged with raping a university student tour guide when he visited as a government delegate three months ago.

Song applied on Thursday to change his bail so he could return to his job and family in China, said the report. He must now report daily in Guangzhou and return once a month to Victoria state in Australia.

The English language report was picked up by Chinese bloggers who translated it and shared on Sina Weibo, China’s popular social media platform on Friday.

It quickly drew thousands of comments and reposts from readers, who were angered both by the report and the fact that they had to find out the alleged criminal behaviour of a Chinese civil servant from a foreign newspaper.

Netizens pointed out that no word regarding Song’s arrest in Australia was ever mentioned in the Chinese media, including the outspoken and well-respected Southern Metropolis Daily based in Guangzhou, where Song lives and works.