China Says Has Proof Rio Tinto Staff Stole State Secrets

July 9, 2009
Four Rio Tinto executives are being held by China's secretive state security ministry, which handles counter-espionage operations.

China said on July 9 it had evidence proving detained Rio Tinto staff stole state secrets, as the affair threatened to boil over into a diplomatic row with Australia summoning the Chinese ambassador. Stern Hu, the Australian head of the Anglo-Australian mining giant's Shanghai office, faces criminal charges for stealing state secrets on foreign countries' behalf, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.

"Competent authorities have sufficient evidence to prove that they have stolen state secrets and have caused huge losses to China's economic interest and security," Qin said.

Chinese authorities collected evidence against Hu before arresting him and other Rio Tinto staff on July 5, Qin said. Shanghai authorities earlier confirmed the others were three of Hu's Chinese colleagues. The four Rio Tinto executives are being held by China's secretive state security ministry, which handles counter-espionage operations.

In Beijing, police also arrested Tan Yixin -- the head of iron ore trading at Shougang Group steel company, who had "close contact" with Hu -- for suspected commercial crimes, the 21st Century Business Herald reported.

The incident has cast a shadow over Australia's relations with one of its largest trading partners, in which Rio Tinto plays a key role as a major supplier of iron ore and other raw materials to China's growing economy.

The miner has led difficult talks with China over new iron ore contracts, which missed a key deadline at the end of June, and a month after it snubbed a major cash offer from China's Chinalco.

The executives allegedly used improper methods, including bribery, to coax secrets from Chinese steel executives during the contract negotiations, according to reports in two Shanghai government-run news outlets.

China's foreign ministry said the espionage allegations should be treated as an isolated case and that it did not want it to affect its important trade relationship with Australia. "It's improper to exaggerate this individual case or even politicise it, which will be no good to Australia," Qin said.

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rejected opposition calls for him to discuss the case with China's President Hu Jintao. "The key thing is not for politicians... to begin trying to politicise issues like this but rather let's get on with the practical business of working with the very difficult case on the ground," Rudd told reporters in Rome. However, Australia's foreign ministry announced that the acting Chinese ambassador, Hong Liang, had been called in on July 9 over the issue and that the lack of consular access to Hu was among the issues raised. After the meeting, Chinese authorities said Australian diplomats could meet Hu on July 10.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith earlier said he had seen no suggestion that Hu's detention was linked to Rio's fraught iron ore talks with Beijing or its decision to reject Chinalco's offer. Last month, the debt-laden miner turned down a $19.5 billion cash injection from Chinalco after deciding that rising commodity prices made a rights issue and joint venture with BHP Billiton more attractive.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!