Chinese courts have agreed to hear at least 10 lawsuits filed by Dalian Wanda Group against alleged “rumourmongers”, the conglomerate said, adding that it also intended to press criminal charges.
The share and bond prices of Wanda units fell sharply last week after rumours spread online that the group’s founder and chairman, Wang Jianlin, had been prevented from boarding a flight out of China.
Wanda is one of four private-sector groups whose overseas acquisitions have been investigated by Chinese regulators over recent months. Neither the group nor Mr Wang, who regularly tops lists of China’s richest men, has been accused of any wrongdoing.