China has denied reports by French newspaper Le Monde that it has been spying on the African Union (AU) headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The article claimed that over the last five years, data from the AU building, which was constructed by the Chinese, was transferred to Shanghai at odd hours.
The Chinese Ambassador to the AU, Kuang Weili, called the report "sensational" and "preposterous". He also questioned the timing of the report, which was published just a day before African leaders began their annual summit at the AU headquarters.
The 20-storey building cost $200m ( £140m) and has housed the headquarters of the continental body since 2012.