Rumors on ex-Chinese leader`s death spread across China

Rumors that former Chinese President Jiang Zemin has died have spread throughout China.

The Chinese Internet media site Boxun quoted a source as saying Wednesday morning, “Former leader Jiang died at midnight at Beijing 301 Hospital.”

Boxun, however, changed the headline to “Jiang Zemin in critical condition due to liver cancer,” adding he remains alive and that his brain functions well though his heart has failed. The name of the hospital was also changed to Huadong Hospital in Shanghai.

The site again revised the news article on Jiang around 3 p.m., saying, “We reported that Jiang was in critical condition or died based on several sources, but a figure in Beijing called us at noon to inform us that his condition has improved.”

No unusual movement was detected at Huadong Hospital.

Buxun’s report on the alleged death of Jiang spread like wildfire across China and Taiwan through Taiwan’s Liberty Times and the Chinese social networking site Weibo.