“I acquired two video clips, which show Peng Shuai was having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant,” wrote Hu Xijin, who is the editor of Chinese state-run tabloid the Global Times. “The video content clearly shows they are shot on Saturday Beijing time.”
CNN cannot independently verify the two video clips or when they were filmed.
China has been facing pressure from the United Nations over Peng’s whereabouts as the organization called for an investigation into her allegations of sexual assault.
The White House also said on Friday it is “deeply concerned” about Peng’s safety.
Peng, who is one of China’s most recognizable sports stars, had accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of coercing her into sex at his home, according to screenshots of a since-deleted social media post dated November 2.
Peng’s post on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, was deleted within 30 minutes of publication, with Chinese censors moving swiftly to wipe out any mention of the accusation online. Her Weibo account, which has more than half a million followers, is still blocked from searchers on the platform.
The head of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Steve Simon has said he is willing to lose hundreds of millions of dollars worth of business in China if Peng is not fully accounted for and her allegations are not properly investigated.