TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) has allegedly been following the Twitter accounts of a pornographic website and an adult film actress.
China's embassy in the U.K. on Wednesday (Sept. 9) blamed "anti-China elements" after the Twitter account of its ambassador, Liu Xiaoming (劉曉明) was hacked. It was made to appear as though he had liked a pornographic video and footage of Uyghur Muslims being persecuted.
On Thursday (Sept. 10), netizens discovered that Zhao's Twitter account appeared to be following the accounts for Pornhub and the Romanian adult film actress Lea Lexis. Zhao was in February accused of following Japanese adult film actress Sora Aoi.
Chinese Twitter user and traditional Chinese medicine doctor "@SpokespersonCNM" on Thursday at 5 p.m. showed video footage of Zhao's Twitter account, which appeared to follow Pornhub. At 6 p.m., she released another video showing Zhao's account being among Lexis's followers on Twitter.
To prove the stills were not doctored, the Twitter user showed a video of her first displaying the two pornographic Twitter accounts, with Zhao as a follower. She then clicked on Zhao's avatar, showing his name in Chinese and Engish, his correct Twitter ID "@zlj517," and his Twitter-flagged status as a China government account.
Next, she clicked on his name and it displayed his official Twitter page, including 176,793 followers. SETN News also reported Zhao's account was seen to be following a Twitter account called "porn stars."
Zhao has not made a public statement in response to the allegations, but as of publication, Zhao's Twitter account was no longer following any of the pornographic pages in question.
Zhao Lijian's account listed as a follower of Pornhub. (Twitter, @SpokespersonCNM screenshot)
Zhao's account listed as follower of Lea Lexis. (Twitter, @SpokespersonCNM screenshot)