Chinese anti-monopoly panel fires adviser who worked on report for Qualcomm

Chinese state media say a panel that advises the Cabinet on anti-monopoly policy has fired a researcher who helped to prepare a report for Qualcomm, a U.S. company that is the target of an anti-monopoly investigation.

The China News Service and other outlets said Zhang Xinzhu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, was dismissed from the 21-member panel for "discipline violations."

Beijing has launched a series of anti-monopoly investigations of global automakers and technology suppliers.

Qualcomm said Zhang worked for a U.S. firm it hired to prepare a report for the Chinese government in response to accusations Qualcomm violated anti-monopoly law. Qualcomm said it made no payments to Zhang.

Zhang told Chinese media this week he was dismissed for speaking up for the rights of foreign companies.