Ren, 79, accompanied Li on a tour of the European-themed campus – the Shenzhen-based company’s research and development base – according to photos and videos circulating on various Chinese social media platforms. Both wore casual attire during their visit.
The photos and videos sparked discussion on Chinese social media, as netizens were puzzled about Ren’s jaunt with the musician formerly known in China as the “piano prince”, who was arrested and briefly detained in 2021 by the police in Beijing on suspicion of patronising a prostitute.
“Li’s appearance is so unexpected, and I can see controversy brewing,” a user wrote on microblogging service Weibo.
Some Weibo users described Ren’s meeting with Li as “inappropriate”. One commenter wrote: “It’s natural to hold a public figure to a higher standard, and they should pay the price for making a mistake.”
Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Before this Li brouhaha, Ren last made a public appearance on June 5 during a visit to Sichuan University in southwestern China, where he said that US-sanctioned Huawei is working closely with universities around the world on basic theoretical research to “overcome its shortcomings”.
Other Weibo users defended Li by pointing out that he had already paid the price for his past mistake. “We should be more tolerant about Li for his rare talent, and Ren has set an example,” a user wrote.
He was widely discredited in China following his misconduct and stayed away from the public limelight. Li, however, remained active on social media and regularly shared updates this year about his latest tour in Europe.