China regulator denies Siemens bribery probe

BEIJING - China's business regulator has denied media reports that it has investigated bribery involving the healthcare arm of German multinational conglomerate Siemens.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said late on Monday that it has not conducted bribery investigations into Siemens, nor has it received any interviews from the media behind the story.

The response, posted in a brief statement on the SAIC website, came after a Sunday report by Reuters cited anonymous sources as saying the SAIC investigated Siemens last year over whether the group's healthcare arm and its dealers bribed hospitals to buy expensive products used in medical devices.