Source: hk.apple.nextmedia.com

A Global Times senior editor on Thursday denied online rumors that the newspaper recruited a former BBC employee for its newly-launched Europe edition.

The rumors, posted on some online forums and social media, originated from a report that appeared on the website of Hong Kong’s Apple Daily, which takes a vehement anti-Chinese mainland stance. 

The report, dated February 27, 2011, claimed the Global Times was poaching employees of Western media to launch its Europe edition.

The Global Times, however, did not publish its Europe edition until July 7, 2016.  The Europe edition was launched in Germany, and targets an international audience with reporting in English.

The Global Times has not recruited former staff members of BBC, and such reports are completely false, said the Global Times senior editor.

In its report, Apple Daily claimed Chinese media were luring seasoned professionals of overseas “anti-China media” such as VOA and BBC and other overseas media outlets that were laying off workers over financial difficulties.

The Global Times employed a former BBC staff with an annual salary of at least 50,000 euro, higher than what Germany’s broadcaster Deutsch Welle offers, according to the report, citing a Chinese publication in the US.

The reports also claimed a manager of Deutsch Welle said they could not compete with Chinese media in the job market because the Chinese offer much higher salaries.