Chinese pop idol Cai Xukun denies wrongdoing in sex scandal

BEIJING, China - Chinese pop star and fashion icon Cai Xukun denied Monday he had pressured a woman to have an abortion but promised to change his behaviour after being embroiled in a sex scandal that has taken China by storm.

A blogger claimed last week that Cai had a one-night stand with a woman referred to as "Ms C", alleging that he coerced her into getting an abortion when he found out she was pregnant.

The scandal has exploded in China, where celebrities are held to high moral standards, threatening Cai's lucrative partnerships with major international brands, including Prada and Tag Heuer.

Music videos featuring Cai were unavailable on state broadcaster CCTV's video streaming app Monday and a search for the star's name yielded no results.

And breaking days of silence on the issue, Cai acknowledged Monday having a relationship with Ms C that ended in 2021, adding that the two were no longer seeing each other.

"The relationship between Ms C and I was voluntary... It did not involve illegal activities," Cai posted to his more than 38 million Weibo followers.

"I implore relevant independent media not to spread or believe rumours." But the singer added that he would change his behaviour: "In the future, I will strictly constrain my words and actions and accept public and societal supervision".

Cai's top global sponsors have not commented on the issue.

But signs of waning confidence emerged Saturday, when a Chinese celebrity-focused advertising association urged clients to be aware of "risks" concerning a "male singer named Cai".

"This incident is tending toward further hype and expansion," a body under the Beijing Advertising Association said in a statement published on WeChat. It did not give Cai's full name.

"Related brands, performance management firms, and multi-channel network operators are requested to control risks of male singer Cai." Chinese authorities have kept a close eye on the domestic entertainment sector in recent years, launching a wide-ranging crackdown on dodgy financial practices and "immoral" conduct in 2021 after numerous scandals implicated some of the nation's biggest entertainers.

In November, Chinese-Canadian superstar Kris Wu was sentenced to 13 years in jail after being found guilty of rape. - AFP