(Yicai Global) Nov. 20 -- Richard Liu, the founder and chief executive of JD.Com, has spoken to the press for the first time after the alleged rape of a college student in the US. He chose to focus on business topics.

"JD.com's management team is mature and stable and can handle mature businesses, so I shall focus on the firm's strategy, teams, culture and new businesses," Liu said to Yicai Global's sister media Yicai Tech at a meeting where the Beijing-based firm released its third-quarter earnings. 

Liu did not directly address the scandal which had him arrested in Minnesota at the beginning of September. The firm did, however, refute an online rumor that Liu will withdraw from the management team, by saying that it is "fake news." Xu Lei, JD.com's chief marketing officer, began to serve as the firm's rotating chief executive in July.

Many people are concerned about JD.Com's growth strategy, Liu said, adding that the company has invested a lot in research and development this year. These investments increased 88 percent in the first three quarters, compared with the same period last year, excluding investments from JDDigits (formerly known as JD Finance), he added.

JD Logistics' net profit will be higher next year than this year, Liu said, adding that the firm's cash flow has recovered, and that the company will develop faster than the market average.

JD.Com's [NASDAQ: JD] stock price has shed more than half of its value this year. It dropped 8.42 percent to close at USD21.11 at yesterday's close.

Editor: Emmi Laine