Canada-based pop star Wanting Qu pleads for mother in Harbin death-penalty corruption case – but China’s netizens are unimpressed

• Wanting Qu said on Weibo her ‘heart aches’ for mother Qu Zhang Mingjie, an ex-official in Harbin who prosecutors want executed in a US$52 million graft case
• A hashtag about Qu’s comments has been viewed 230 million times – and drawn scathing responses