Chinese Internet portal Sohu.com Inc. said in a statement it is not negotiating with private equity funds and investment banks over possible plan for making the company private.

In response to media reports, Carol Yu, the portal's chief financial officer, insisted that the company has not made such plans nor conducted meeting to become private.

The speculation came after four sources in the sector cited in South China Morning Post that Sohu.com met investment banks on a plan for the financing in making the company private.

Sohu.com Inc. is an internet firm in China that offers services from advertising to online multimedia gaming.