Zhang Ziyi denies alleged sex scandal with former top official

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi denied yesterday media reports that she had allegedly “interacted” with Bo Xilai, the former Communist Party boss of China’s Chongqing City in exchange for “huge” monetary gifts.

Zhang, who is currently shooting a new film in southern China, said on her personal microblog that many people “can take wind as rain” using their imaginations.

Her statement was taken as a denial of the media allegations about the sex scandal.

U.S.-based Chinese-language news website Boxun, the Apple Daily published in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and other Chinese-language media reported that the 32-year-old actress slept with Bo at least 10 times between 2007 and 2011.

Zhang was allegedly under investigation by the Chinese government for being paid to have sex with Bo, who was removed from his powerful political position after coming under investigation after the incident involving Wang Lijung, a former Chongqing vice mayor. Wang allegedly “defected” to the U.S. Consulate in Chengdu City, of Sichuan province, in February.

The media reports said that Zhang and Bo were first introduced by Bo’s associate, Xu Ming, 41, who is the founder and chairman of Dalian Shide Group when Bo was party boss in Dalian City.

Unconfirmed reports said that Xu confessed to paying Zhang 6 million Chinese yuan in 2007 to personally have sex with her for the first time.

Xu later negotiated a deal for Bo to have sex with Zhang for 10 million yuan.

The Chinese media reports estimated that Zhang’s sexual transactions with various rich and powerful figures have netted her 700 million yuan over the last 10 years, including 180 million yuan in cash from Xu alone.

Her wealth accumulated from prostituting herself was not taxed mainly due to intervention from Xu and some senior Chinese government officials, said the reports.

In 2009, Zhang was accused of cheating a married businessman of a huge sum of money, with whom she was alleged to be sexually involved with, while still engaged to an Israeli billionaire.

The Chinese media also reported in April that wealthy businessman Xu introduced more than 100 women to Bo for sex and that the women included household-name celebrities.