BEIJING — China today dismissed as rumor reports that retired President Jiang Zemin, who led the country through massive changes after the crushing of the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement, has died.

The official Xinhua News Agency quoted what it called authoritative sources as saying the reports were “pure rumor.” The one-sentence dispatch in English wasn’t carried by the Chinese-language service of the state-run agency, indicating it was meant for overseas audiences.

The need to comment underscores the difficulties the secretive, authoritarian government faces in controlling information. While state media are under tight control, foreign reports seep into China via the Internet, giving Chinese access to news — and rumors — the leadership dislikes.

An official from the Cabinet’s information office said only, “It’s a rumor,” when asked about Jiang’s death. The official, like many in China, would give only her surname, Li.