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Sinopec denies chandelier rumor

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-17 11:22

Chinese oil giant Sinopec denied Thursday that it paid 12 million yuan (US$1.76 million) for a chandelier to decorate the main entrance hall of its new headquarters, local media reported Friday.

The chandelier which sparked online rumor is seen in this undated photo.

Earlier this week, an anonymous online post alleged that a Sinopec executive was showing off the new chandelier to a group of visitors, and said it was worth about 12 million yuan.

Sinopec said Thursday that the chandelier is not in fact worth 12 million yuan and that they would be happy to provide any government investigation with evidence of its real price.

Related readings:  Sinopec ex-chairman sentenced to death with reprieve for bribery  Sinopec to buy Addax for $7.3b  Sinopec reports 4.5% rise in 2008 refining throughput

Still, the online rumor about the chandelier sparked outrage among many netizens. Some said that because Sinopec is a state-owned enterprise, it should not taking advantage of high oil prices and wasting money on unnecessary decorations. Others simply wanted Sinopec to clarify the rumor.

In an online post, a person claiming to work in the chandelier business said the one in the entrance hall of Sinopec's headquarters is worth about 1 million (US$146,400) yuan and that she had never heard of a 12 million yuan chandelier.

Sinopec Corp, also known as China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, is Asia's biggest oil refiner by volume. The former general manager of Sinopec Chen Tonghai was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve Wednesday for receiving 196 million yuan (US$29 million) in bribes.