Film of secret meeting sees corruption charges levelled at Beijing lawyer and Fuji Xerox

A Beijing-based lawyer has been suspended by his firm after he was implicated in corruption allegations involving copy giant Fuji Xerox's Chinese subsidiary.

According to reports, Zhang Decai, of Zhonglun Jintong, was suspended and reprimanded for his role in a secret meeting between lawyers representing Fuji Xerox and arbitration officials overseeing a dispute between Fuji and one of its clients, according to a statement from the firm.

The dispute arose in August 2003, when real estate company Tianjin Guangyin filed for arbitration, claiming it had been sold faulty printers by Fuji Xerox to the tune of Rmb2.5m (£178,500).

Decai was videotaped at a secret meeting with Fuji Xerox's in-house legal counsel Chen Zhenwei and a government arbitration official, which was placed on the web in July 2005. The video was filmed by employees at Tianjin Guangyin.

In November last year, the arbitration commission then ordered Fuji to pay just over Rmb100,000 (£7,140), which was less than the claimant's request for a full reimbursement.

Zhonglun Jintong and Fuji Xerox have admitted to the meeting taking place but have denied all allegations of bribery or corruption.

The Tianjin Arbitration Commission has also launched an investigation into the arbitrator captured on the film.