Chinese vice-president Li Yuanchao hits back at rumours he is target of looming graft probe

Vice-President Li Yuanchao has hit back at rampant speculation that he is poised to be the target of a corruption investigation, telling a gathering in Beijing that he is a victim of overseas online rumours.

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Vice-President Li Yuanchao told a meeting of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese in Beijing he has been a victim of online rumours. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:30pm, 23 Jan 2015Updated: 2:56pm, 21 Jun 2018

Vice-President Li Yuanchao has hit back at rampant speculation that he is poised to be the target of a corruption investigation, telling a gathering in Beijing that he is a victim of overseas online rumours.

Li made the unusually direct remarks at a meeting in the capital of more than 400 delegates of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, according to Tian Bingxin, the former chairman of the Hong Kong-based Sing Pao Daily News and founder of news website hkmnews.com

Li, whose portfolio includes Hong Kong affairs, also commented on Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement, saying the central government's struggles against the pro- democracy movement were not over and "the really interesting part of the show is yet to come".

The remarks were first reported by hkmnews.com however they were not carried by state media.

Li has been under pressure as rumours have gathered pace overseas that he is implicated in several scandals.

Among the scandals is the ongoing storm that has enveloped the beleaguered Founder Group.