SHANGHAI: Two groups of government officials that went to the United States and Canada on "business" trips actually spent most of their time visiting tourist sites such as Niagara Falls, Hawaii and Las Vegas, an Internet blogger has claimed.

According to a report in Friday's Shanghai Morning Post, one group, from Xinyu, Jiangxi province, spent their trip visiting scenic spots in the United States and Canada, while the other, from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, spent seven days visiting tourist sites after just three days discussing business at an American university.

The accusations were first made public on Wednesday, in a post at www.bullog.cn by a man using the name "Chimei Wangliang 2009".