Tuesday, August 14, 2007

China jails reporter for cardboard dumpling hoax - Update

A Chinese court on Sunday sentenced a television reporter to one year in jail for fabricating a report that Beijing dumpling makers used cardboard as a filling.

The official Xinhua news agency said the journalist, Zi Beijia, was convicted after an open court hearing of "infringing the reputation of commodities". He was also fined 1,000 yuan (£65.44).

Zi, a temporary reporter for Beijing television, was arrested after it emerged that he had cooked up a report that local makers of steamed dumplings were softening cardboard by soaking it in caustic soda and then flavouring it with pork juice.

Zi pleaded guilty and said he was "muddle-headed" at the time.

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