On March 9th, Zhang Xiaolei, founder of the Loose Motorcycle Museum and a director of Beijing Loose Trading Co., Ltd., made a public accusation against Wang Chuanfu, alleging his involvement with a female executive named Li Ke. Zhang claimed that while Wang Chuanfu maintained an image of being “frugal and patriotic” in China, he possessed multiple luxurious properties in the United States and cohabited with Li Ke, which Zhang deemed as a “serious violation of party discipline” and criticized Wang for not disclosing the truth to the China Securities Regulatory Commission and shareholders. Zhang further mentioned that the Shenzhen Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection had responded with “beginning an investigation,” but no further response had been provided for over three months, urging public oversight.
Public records show that Zhang Xiaolei is associated with the Loose Motorcycle Museum and Beijing Loose Trading Co., Ltd., and has been involved in disputes with BYD, which previously served as a manufacturing partner for Loose Motorcycle. In September 2023, Loose Motorcycle filed a lawsuit against BYD, citing significant quality issues with numerous components manufactured by BYD, leading to a delay in the delivery of motorcycles by 25 months and a direct loss of 235 million RMB.
Regarding Zhang Xiaolei’s accusation, some netizens believe it may be motivated by a desire to retaliate against BYD through Loose Motorcycle. Others argue that regardless of Wang Chuanfu’s personal morality, as a private entrepreneur, his personal affairs such as owning luxurious properties in the US and having illegitimate children should not be evaluated by the standards of a public official, as long as they do not affect the company’s development.
It’s worth noting that Zhang Xiaolei’s statement expressing concern about “the personal and road information of millions of BYD owners being controlled by Americans” seems to exploit tensions between China and the US and stir up hatred and suspicion towards BYD under the guise of “patriotism,” potentially serving his own agenda. Without evidence, such accusations are considered baseless by some netizens.
Recent incidents in mainland China, often framed as “patriotic” campaigns against individuals and private enterprises, have sparked public debate. Nobel laureate Mo Yan was accused of glorifying the invading Japanese army in his works. Farmer’s Springs, a beverage giant, and its founder Zhong Shanshan faced online attacks, with rumors accusing them of ingratitude. Additionally, rumors spread about a suspected pro-Japanese stance by Farmer’s Springs, resulting in a decline in sales and stock prices.
As such incidents increase, sentiments of “extreme nationalism” and hostility towards private enterprises escalate. Weibo has taken measures to ban and delete accounts and comments spreading rumors and attacking private enterprises, stating that “a small number of users are exploiting short video platforms to incite group opposition through tactics like praising one and condemning the other and malicious associations.” In January of this year, CCTV also commented, stating that “patriotism is not for business, and reports should be based on evidence,” warning against rampant reporting that causes harm to individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.