Philanthropist fights report on donations

Tensions are escalating between one of China's most widely reported philanthropists and news media outlets that questioned his donations.

Chen Guangbiao, a self-proclaimed billionaire philanthropist known by many through his attempt in 2013 to buy The New York Times, among other public acts, sued Caixin Media Company on Wednesday afternoon over an investigative news report that alleged Chen lied in many of his public announcements regarding what he has done for the underprivileged. Chen asked for 1 million yuan ($152,000) in compensation and an apology. The people's court in the Qinhuai district of Nanjing, Jiangsu province, picked up the case.

On social media, Chen characterized the report as "hearsay, malice, calling black white" and said that it had "extremely negative impacts" on him and his company.