SHANGHAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) – China’s electric vehicle giant BYD 002594.SZ said on Sunday it would make permanent its system offering tipsters who report smear campaigns against the company up to 5 million yuan ($700,918).

The company in June 2022 increased the maximum amount providers of such information could receive from 1 million yuan to 5 million yuan, saying that policy was valid for a year. The minimum amount is 50,000 yuan.

“The evidence we collect includes but is not limited to chat records, emails, contracts, fund transfers and other information,” the company said in a Weibo post. “Such information should be legally effective and BYD will give the provider a generous reward once it verifies it to be true.”

BYD did not say why it extended the reward programme, which it introduced in late 2021, saying it wanted to combat online smear campaigns and to protect the company’s brand image. It did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Monday.

In September, the company hit back against online discussions that said BYD had leaked commercial secrets, saying those posts were pure rumours. It added that the police had apprehended the person responsible for spreading the rumour and that the company planned to take legal action.

Warren Buffett-backed BYD is China’s largest seller of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and Tesla’s TSLA.O closest rival in the global electric vehicle sales race.

The company, which has been expanding overseas along with several other Chinese EV makers, broke records with new energy vehicle (NEV) sales rising 53% year-on-year to 824,001 in the third quarter, according to company data.

($1 = 7.1335 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Brenda Goh. Editing by Gerry Doyle)

(([email protected]; +86 (0) 21 2083 0088; Reuters Messaging: [email protected]))

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Original: TSLA Feed: China’s BYD says will keep reward system for smear campaign tipsters