Beijing, Oct 19 (IANS): The Dutch ambassador to China involved in a "love affair" with a Chinese embassy employee has been suspended as an investigation gets underway.

"An inquiry into this case has been opened," Mariska Driessen, policy officer at the Netherlands embassy here, told Global Times.

The officer said Ambassador Ron Keller, 58, would not perform any function for the embassy while the probe was on.

Keller had a secret affair with a Chinese national who worked at the embassy and the relationship only recently come to light, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

"A complaint against The Netherlands' ambassador to China is being investigated ... The integrity of the complaint procedure requires that, at this stage, the ministry cannot share further details regarding the inquiry," said the email. 

Keller is currently in his country and not likely to return to Beijing, the newspaper said.

He was appointed ambassador to China and Mongolia in December 2015. He had earlier represented his government in Turkey, Russia and Ukraine before assuming his post in Beijing.