Haidian court hearing high-profile libel case

Beijing Haidian District People's Court said on Wednesday it has accepted a high-profile case in which a popular science writer sued a former talk-show anchor.

Fang Zhouzi, the writer, has claimed that former CCTV host Cui Yongyuan libeled him online during a heated discussion on genetically modified food.

Fang filed an indictment with the court charging Cui with libel, and said he wants Cui to delete all his critical postings on the Internet and apologize. Fang also asked for 300,000 yuan ($49,600) in compensation.

The court said it has received materials from the two parties and the case is underway.

The argument between Cui and Fang traces back to September when Cui posted on a micro blog doubts about the safety of GM food.

Fang, who is also a biochemist and a supporter of GM food, later forwarded the post, saying "you can of course refuse to eat such food, but you cannot spread rumors to block Chinese agricultural technological development".

The disagreement soon became a quarrel, "after Cui always used dirty words, such as cheater and gangster, to attack me, which made me angry and I decided to file a lawsuit," Fang said in a previous interview with China Daily.

"Cui said I bought a luxury house in the United States with money from fraud. That was unbelievable and he has no evidence," Fang said.

"I accept different opinions on the issue, but I cannot allow someone to libel me and my family. That’s my bottom line," he added.