RCSC seizes on Guo to clear name

Scandal reflects wider social problems in China: experts

The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has grabbed at the chance to clear its name amid the overwhelming media coverage of Guo Meimei, the young woman who dragged the RCSC into scandals, but analysts saw Guo as a reflection of wider social problems.

"The RCSC has been committed to offering humanitarian aid. Guo has not only damaged the image of Chinese charity, but also destroyed the credibility of China," Yao Lixin, spokesperson of RCSC, told reporters on Monday.

Reports on Guo have been dominating Chinese television and other state media outlets after the 23-year-old woman publicly confessed on television to running illegal gambling and taking part in sex work. She also admitted dragging the RCSC into a corruption scandal in 2011, when she claimed to be a general manager of the "Red Cross Chamber of Commerce" and made her name by showing off her wealth online.

Guo confessed that she became increasingly well known after the Red Cross scandal. "There was never a shortage of people who wanted to sleep with me at any price. But I've turned them down to save face," Guo said.

"Every citizen in our society has fallen victim. We hope the investigation can not only clear the name of RCSC, but offer a chance to rebuild our credibility," Yao said.

Discussions on Sina Weibo regarding Guo rose to the second early Monday, following the public attention on earthquake in Zhaotong, Yunnan Province. There have been over 27,000 posts regarding Guo and the topic has been searched for over 29.5 million times in Monday afternoon.

As the RCSC expressed its hope to rebuild its name, many opinions believed otherwise. Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociology professor from the Renmin University of China, said that the management loopholes of RCSC contributed to Guo's "success" and it is still trying to smooth over its mistakes.

"The heated discussion on the incident is not targeting Guo herself. Rather, it is consistent with the public attention on the nation's anti-corruption efforts. After all, the RCSC is a national institution and people expect to see more systematic reforms to prevent further corruption or the emergence of other 'tigers' [powerful corrupt officials]," Zhou noted.

Some also argued that Guo's success was a typical example of the twisted values of Chinese society.

"Namely, the definition of success became pure fame and fortune; while consumption just for the sake of showing off was deemed a value for life," said Zhang Yiwu, a professor with Peking University.

Guo has over 1.9 million followers on Sina Weibo where she showed off her luxurious bags and cars. Although considered a "C-list" actress, she described being busy with performances.

Wang Jun, a middle-aged businessman who was another key figure in the Red Cross scandal and an ex-boyfriend of Guo's, referred to her as "extraordinarily vain" and said she would pursue fame and fortune at all costs.