Chinese official sues tycoon

BEIJING: A Chinese government official has lodged a US$10 million (RM43 million) defamation lawsuit against controversial billionaire Guo Wengui in New York over claims made by the exiled tycoon that she had engaged in corruption and provided sexual favours.

Huang Yan, vice-minister of housing and urban-rural development, filed the complaint with the New York State Supreme Court on Wednesday, saying Guo’s “false and outrageous” claims, made in a video published on YouTube in May, had caused her “severe emotional distress” and “mental anguish”.

It is the first legal case brought by an individual Chinese government official since Guo began making accusations of high-level Communist Party corruption, and represents an exceedingly rare instance of a senior serving official pursuing legal action against an individual overseas.

Huang’s complaint says Guo, also known as Miles Kwok, had falsely alleged that she helped real estate developers secure project approvals by providing sexual favours to a Beijing government official, and in turn received property assets from the developers who benefited.

“Guo has falsely and repeatedly claimed that plaintiff Huang has engaged in various nefarious actions, including, but not limited to: sex scandals and corruption,” the complaint said, adding the tycoon’s statements had damaged Huang’s reputation among a large number of people, and caused many to “doubt her capabilities as a professional and a government official”.

Guo’s corruption allegations have come in a politically sensitive year, with the Communist Party keen to ensure a key five-yearly congress to be held in the autumn goes off without a hitch.

As with other defamation cases against him, Guo said he welcomed the lawsuit as an opportunity for both sides to air “facts” in the open.

“This is very normal,” he said, adding he believed Huang had been instructed to take action by the Chinese government.

“I welcome it.” – Reuters