A Guangzhou-based newspaper published the second front-page appeal for the release of its detained reporter on Thursday.

Guangzhou-based New Express newspaper published the second front-page appeal for the release of its detained reporter Chen Yongzhou on Thursday. [Photo: New Express]

Chen Yongzhou, an investigative reporter with New Express newspaper, has been held by Changsha police since Friday for writing stories about Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd., China's second-largest construction equipment maker.

According to Changsha police, Chen was detained for spreading false information that caused severe damage to Zoomlion's business reputation and led to great economic losses.

New Express said Chen was simply performing his duties as a reporter. If there was any problem concerning Chen's stories, Zoomlion should contact the newspaper through the normal channels or file a law suit against the newspaper in court instead of "assaulting" Chen.

Zoomlion said it had sent a high-level executive to the newspaper to discuss the matter after reading the published stories, but both sides failed to reach an agreement.

There were also disputes over the jurisdiction of the case, as New Express is based in Guangzhou City of Guangdong Province in southern China, and Zoomlion is based in Changsha City of Hunan Province in central China.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee had both stepped in to further investigate the case, according to Zoomlion.