Actress Zhang Ziyi denies claims she slept with Bo Xilai and other Chinese politicians

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has threatened to sue over claims she slept with a string of powerful Chinese Communist leaders and businessmen, including disgraced politician Bo Xilai.

Zhang, who starred in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and "Memoirs of a Geisha," was alleged to have slept with Bo at least 10 times between 2007 and 2011 in exchange for "huge" monetary gifts, British tabloid the Daily Mail reported. The claims were reportedly made in a Hong Kong tabloid.

Zhang was engaged from 2008 until 2010 to Israeli-American venture capitalist Vivi Nevo.

Her Chinese publicist said the claims were outrageous.

"It sent stone-cold chills down our spines and has left us with a feeling of deep sadness. Why should this devoted and responsible actress have to suffer this kind of slander and defamation?" her publicist said, according to the Daily Mail.

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Channel News Asia said Zhang's management team released an open letter strongly denying the reports. The letter also denied media reports that Zhang was barred from traveling out of China while authorities investigated the allegations.

Zhang on Wednesday directly addressed the allegations while attending a China film awards event in Haikou, the capital of Hainan province.

"This 'news' is a complete lie. Both within the article and between the lines, there were contemptuous lies," she said, according to Chinese media reports.

Zhang added: "Whatever the cost, I will seek legal recourse and pursue this matter to the very end."

Bo, the former Chongqing party boss, was widely expected to be promoted to China’s most powerful body, the Politburo Standing Committee, before being sacked in March in one of the biggest political scandals to hit China in years.

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