The chief editor of a Chinese state-run tabloid has denied an accusation of having fathered two sons from affairs he had with colleagues in the newsroom.

Hu Xijin is said to have carried on illicit relationships with subordinate Gao Ying and Zhang Nanyi, a former managing editor of Global Times’ English edition, according to Global Times deputy chief editor Maggie Duan, who filed a complaint with the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Gao and Zhang each gave birth to a son, Duan claimed, accusing Hu of being corrupt as a top management figure in the press organization of the Communist Party.

Hu denied the claims in a statement posted on the Twitter-like Weibo site. He also said he had apologized to Gao and Zhang, who he said were not involved with him.

He alleged in turn that Duan had believed she would become chief editor after receiving training from the party school three to four years ago, and on Oct. 27 demanded that he resign. She threatened to report him to the commission and said that he could quit to save himself, Hu claimed.

According to Hu, Duan apologized to him the next day, saying that she “seemed to have been possessed and had uttered garbage.” He attached a screenshot to his Weibo post.

Duan had not been participating in the newspaper’s work for some time because of a “loss of normal working capability,” Hu said. The incident had been reported to Global Times and People’s Daily officials for an internal investigation, he added.

Previously, Hu was also accused of having fathered a son of Canadian nationality. He denied the rumor and said that his only child was a daughter who was a Chinese national working in Beijing.

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