Qian Weiping is being investigated for suspected discipline violations and duty-related crime. Photo: IC

China's defense ministry said Wednesday that former military official Qian Weiping is being investigated for suspected discipline violations and duty-related crime, dismissing reports that the probe was linked to espionage allegations.

Earlier this month, foreign media reports said Lieutenant General Qian, former deputy head of the equipment development department of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China, was under investigation for spying. 

"I can say clearly that allegations that Qian was involved in an espionage case are not true. Qian is being investigated by the CMC's discipline commission for suspected serious violations of discipline and duty-related crime," China's Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Wu Qian said at a press conference. 

Qian, 56, is an aerospace expert. He was a chief designer of the Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) Systems of China's human spaceflight mission and a chief designer of the Chang'e-2 mission's tracking and control system. He served as head of the Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications Technology.