By Li Aoxue

Two university professors have returned to work after being suspended for six weeks in a row over plagiarism.

Yang Fan with the business school of the China University of Political Science and Law and his colleague Jin Renshu returned to work a week ago, the university's spokeswoman Liu Changmin told China Daily Tuesday.

"They have handed in self-reflection reports, so we decided to let them return to work," Liu said.

Yang reported to the university in March that one of Jin's books, which was published in June 2006, had been largely based on an academic paper of North Normal University, Beijing Morning Post reported.

"It was my duty to report it to the university as I am president of the academic committee at the business school," the newspaper quoted Yang as saying.

However, Jin later reported to the university that Yang had also plagiarized a paper submitted by his postgraduate students.

The dispute drew much media attention resulting in the suspension of the two.

Yang told China Daily Tuesday an investigation by the university had cleared him and confirmed Jin's plagiarism.

Liu, however, declined to comment on that claim.

She said the resumption of work did not mean the university had ended its investigation.

China Daily was unable to contact Jin Tuesday. Jin had earlier been quoted by Chengdu Business Daily as saying she had been cleared.

Yang said the university owed him an apology for suspending him, and that Jin should be punished.