A convoy of Dongfeng Mengshi off-road 4×4 vehicles attached to a brigade of the PLA Air Force airborne troops is en route to a designated training field through the northwest China's Gobi desert for a comprehensive tactical training exercise on subjects. Photo:China Military

A netizen has been detained for spreading rumors on social media that poor quality military vehicles supplied by Dongfeng sport utility vehicle company, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor Corporation and corruption among personnel in the company's special equipment division resulted in casualties among soldiers in the frontline of the border with India, according to a notification that the company published on Wednesday. 

The netizen, surnamed Zhou, confessed that he (or she) fabricated the rumor and posted it in a family message group on Wechat on Sunday, which was then forwarded and spread further on the platform.

Dongfeng company later reported the widely circulating post to the police on Monday and asked for an investigation into the case due to the adverse effect it had on the company.

After being detained, Zhou apologized for his (or her) behavior in a hand-written letter to the public. 

Dongfeng company published Zhou's letter on its official account on Wechat and noted that production and operation work of the special equipment division is normal, and the division has been working hard to ensure the high quality of its military vehicles and has zero tolerance for any corruption. 

The company has branded itself as China's No.1 builder of military vehicles in the service of national defense.