Missing tennis star Peng Shuai: amid outcry, Chinese state media releases her 'new' smiling video

Amid growing concern in the sports world and several countries demanded to know about her whereabouts since she accused a former vice premier of sexually abusing her, a new video of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has emerged.

The Chinese state media posted a video purporting to show the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Peng Shuai smiling and well.

The editor of the Global Times newspaper posted a video showing the 35-year-old walking into a restaurant wearing a coat, knit cap and face mask.

Describing the videos, the editor wrote that the two videos, shot on Saturday, show Peng Shuai having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant.

Peng is seen with a mask and sitting at a table chatting with people over a meal.

Also watch: Chinese tennis star Peng claims sexual assault by Communist Party's former Politburo member

Peng has not been seen publicly since alleging earlier this month on Chinese social media site Weibo that former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli, now in his 70s, had "forced" her into sex during an on-off relationship spanning several years.

Peng’s claims were quickly deleted from the Twitter-like platform and the whereabouts of the former Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion have been a mystery ever since.