Hong Kong’s Apple Daily has published a sensational story today on Rui Chenggang, the disgraced former presenter at CCTV, claiming he divulged state secrets to foreign spy agencies and tried to smear the upper echelon of the Communist Party, among other scandalous claims. Rui was taken away by police in July this year.

Rui was a business anchor on CCTV famous for forcing Starbucks to exit the Forbidden City in 2006. According to the report, which cites a source from the disciplinary committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Rui reportedly cried at his interrogation earlier this year after being arrested, claiming he was a victim under the control of others.

Rui claims former President Hu Jintao’s former personal secretary, Ling Jihua, schemed to have his wife, Gu Liping, rape him to force Rui to establish a special relationship with her. Gu is 20 years older than Rui, and was said to have had a previous relationship with Rui in the mold of an ”older sister-younger brother”. Through his special relationship with Gu, Rui became a member of Ling’s inner clique. This is how Rui attained classified information on the government and economy.

Some suspect Ling himself is the focus of a graft investigation.

Rui admitted his criticisms of the west and patriotic diatribes were mean to be his “umbrella of protection” so he could stay in the good graces of the public and government. However, Rui is said to have shared Chinese secrets with a western agency that Chinese authorities accuse of conducting espionage.

Boxun, an overseas website that often publishes questionable information, said Rui had provided material to western reporters located in China that attempted to defame Xi Jinping and Wen Jiabao two years ago.

Rui has been very high profile, both in China and abroad. We reported earlier how Rui drew attention for his behavior in South Korea:

At a 2009 press conference with US President Barack Obama, Rui volunteered himself when the US President was instead seeking a question from the Korean press. As Rui explained at the time, “Unfortunately, I hate to disappoint you, President Obama, I’m actually Chinese. But I think I get to represent the entireAsia, part of the family on this side of the world.” and for arrogantly taking the floor to ask US President Barack Obama.

At their peak, Rui’s shows were watched by 300 million people each night.

Photo: wapvnet