New | Henan party cadre ‘regrets’ rushing at PLA singer Song Zuying

A township official in Henan, who was detained three years ago for rushing the stage to embrace a popular military singer, has finally spoken out about the incident, saying it still made him feel remorse to this day.

Wang Liuju, a cadre in Puyang county, Henan province, recently told the Chongqing Youth Daily that he regretted hugging star Song Zuying while she was performing in the county at a central-government-organised event in June 2011.

Wang, who was then a party committee member of the Hucun township’s government, had sneaked off from work to see the performance. Song is massively popular on the mainland – even counting ex-president Jiang Zemin as one of her fans.

Wang’s public indiscretion landed him in detention for five days and suspended from his post for disturbing public order and being absent from work without permission.

Wang told the Daily that he deserved the punishment. “My indecent actions including forcibly hugging her around the shoulders have left a negative influence on society,” he said.

”According to the schedule, Song should have sung three songs, but she ended up with just two,” Wang was quoted as saying. He said the atmosphere at the scene made him rush to the stage without thinking.