Inside China’s ‘Fortress of Silence’

Poonam Sharma

Is it coincidence, or something much darker

On its glistening surface, EE Media appears to be the ultimate China dream of modern entertainment — a shining machine that churns out pop stars, idols, actors, and news anchors shining on the faces of millions of screens nationwide. But beneath the veil of neon lights and bland smiles is another reality — one that murmurs of power, fear, and a series of mysterious young lives snapped prematurely.

EE Media is not simply another entertainment firm. It is a bulwark, constructed at the nexus of state media, private tech monopolies, and mighty financial institutions. With 800 shareholders — ranging from Alibaba to Postal Savings Bank of China, from China Construction Bank to big insurance companies — it conducts like an arm of the system itself. Even the most powerful players in the sector have been unable to penetrate its political firewall.

There was one case that made it very clear. A superstar, Yang Mi, allegedly went to Beijing three times to sign a talented artist by the name Allen Yu. All three efforts failed. Even big names could not penetrate a space guarded by state capital and political clout.

And then there were deaths.

In one by one and strikingly similar fashion, some of the most promising faces in the company disappeared. Their causes of death were the same: “depression” or “accidental fall.” Their lives and the timing of their demises, however, reveal a more sinister truth.

Biense — The Golden Anchor Who Never Returned Home

It started with Biense, a dashing star anchor once famously referred to as “CCTV’s most charming face.”

On June 9, 2015, at the tender age of 32, Biense plummeted to his death from Sunshine Upper East, a luxury apartment complex in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. Only an hour before his death, he had taken 40 minutes on the phone with his mother teasing her about how much he missed her cooking. No hint of depression. No note. No explanation.

His passing was a shock to fans — but what came next was silence. Authorities quickly declared it an “incident.” The company went on.

 Chao Liang — A Death That Smelled of Fear

Less than a year later, September 16, 2016, the passing of Chao Liang, up-and-coming actor-singer loved by millions, came. He was discovered dead in a Shanghai apartment. The police declared it a depression-induced suicide.

But on the internet, a different tale ran rampant. Whistleblowers alleged Liang had been killed in Beijing and his body brought to Shanghai to create the scene of death. He had allegedly run afoul of the wrong individuals — individuals who were too powerful to mention.

Death was rumored to be party-related, torture, and politics. But no case was ever initiated.

She — The Girl Who Sang Too Much Truth

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2016, yet another tragedy occurred.

“She,” a young singer under contract with EE Media, dropped from the 13th floor. She was just 22. She was Chao Liang’s close friend. Following his death, she had put out an English song titled “Pink Gun”, suggesting secrets she might have had.

Only three days before her own death, she was live-streaming, cheerful and planning new releases. No trace of despair. The official cause: depression.

But her fans never believed it.

The Model Who Fell on Xi’s Birthday

October 15, 2017 — the birthday of Xi Jinping’s father.

A model-actress youth in the same clique went streaking off a Suzhou hotel. Officials explained that she died of “excessive drinking” and an “accidental fall.” No questions were permitted beyond that.

The rumors indicated she had gone into a male celebrity’s room only hours before her death. But that night’s guest list reflected previous suspicious parties. Again — silence.

Tian Zhong Qi — The Commentator Who Knew Too Much

May 9, 2024.

Tian Zhong Qi, a famous volleyball commentator at CCTV Sports, was discovered dead after he fell from the 6th floor of his Bangkok apartment.

Witnesses reported that in photos from the scene, he was wearing just a T-shirt and underwear, indicating he was taken aback. Witnesses also saw peculiar injuries on his body — not typical of a plain fall. But the official reason followed the same script: depression.

A friend from childhood openly penned that Tian never had depression. No official investigation ensued.

 A Chilling Pattern

Within a decade, at least seven young artists associated with EE Media perished under similarly eerie conditions.

All were young, gifted, in the prime of their careers.

Five jumped from buildings.

All were officially certified as victims of “depression” or “accidents.”

None of their deaths were thoroughly investigated.

All acted with, or were attached to, a single company protected by power.

The tales of Biense, Chao Liang, She, the Suzhou actress, Tian Zhong Qi, and others are but a few examples. They are part of a pattern — a quiet, chilling string of killings concealed behind political immunity walls.

In showbiz, rumors become whispers: Is it coincidence—or a coordinated power shutting up those who know too much?

EE Media: An Unbreakable Wall

EE Media is no run-of-the-mill entertainment mansion. It’s all interlaced with state power — from insurers and banks to private digital empires. It’s a reflection of how media, politics, and capital can combine into an inviolate citadel.

Even the A-list stars couldn’t get in. Even the most vocal questions were silenced. And even death was packaged into neat official explanations.

 A Silence That Speaks Louder Than Truth

For a country where the media is tightly controlled, these fatalities reveal a world few want to witness. It’s not entertainment alone. It’s power, it’s fear, and a system where truth may be buried.

Seven young lives. Seven tragedies. And a wall of silence so thick, it still remains unshaken.

Are these fatalities coincidences… or the cracks of a darker design?

The world can never possibly receive answers from the fortress. But the questions are not disappearing.