Chinese diplomat says Beijing has ‘ample evidence’ detained Rio employees stole secrets

August 12th, 2009 Rio employees face trade secrets, bribery chargesSHANGHAI, China — China has formally arrested four employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. on charges of infringing trade secrets and bribery, in a case that has strained relations with Australia.

August 12th, 2009 BEIJING - Chinese prosecutors have charged Australian executive Stern Hu with commercial bribery, which means he could be facing up to seven years jail if found guilty by Beijing. China's official news agency Xinhua said Hu and three Rio Tinto Chinese colleagues were charged late on Tuesday, six days after being detained in Shanghai.

August 11th, 2009 Rio Tinto 'still unaware' of China case evidenceSYDNEY — Rio Tinto Ltd. said Tuesday it was still unaware of any evidence to justify China's detention of four employees on spying allegations, as the Australian government urged Beijing to speed up the case.

August 10th, 2009 Rio Tinto prices plunge on China spy claimsSYDNEY —Rio Tinto Ltd.'s share price plunged more than 3 percent Monday after China accused the Anglo-Australian miner of conducting a six-year spying campaign that it claimed cost Chinese steelmakers billions of dollars in inflated prices for iron ore. Rio Tinto declined to respond to the latest allegations but said in July that bribery allegations against four Rio Tinto employees detained in China were baseless.

July 30th, 2009 Chinese dissident to plead not guiltyBEIJING — A Chinese dissident who criticized the government's response to a massive earthquake last year that left almost 90,000 people dead or missing will plead not guilty in a state secrets trial that opens next week, his lawyer said Thursday. Mo Shaoping, who will represent the activist Huang Qi, said the trial, starting next Wednesday at a court in Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan, will be closed to the public.

July 23rd, 2009 Australia, China FMs discuss Rio Tinto spying casePHUKET, Thailand — Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith met with his Chinese counterpart Thursday over the case of a Rio Tinto Ltd. manager accused of espionage in China but made no progress resolving the issue.

July 22nd, 2009 BEIJING - China has told Australia that it has sufficient evidence to prove Rio Tinto staff's involvement in espionage and bribery case. "I've introduced the information about the case to him (Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith) and stressed we have sufficient evidence to show that people involved in the case have obtained our state secrets through illegal means," The Australian quoted He Yafei, as saying.

July 22nd, 2009 Australia FM: Rio case won't be resolved quicklyPHUKET, Thailand — Australia pressed China again Wednesday for a quick resolution to the case of a Rio Tinto manager accused of espionage while acknowledging it will not be settled with one meeting of the two sides. Speaking on the sidelines of a regional conference, the Australian foreign minister Stephen Smith said he still hoped to meet his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi about the matter in the next day.

July 22nd, 2009 China calls on US to keep dollar stableBEIJING — China will press Washington at high-level economic talks next week to protect Chinese assets in the United States by following policies that keep the dollar stable, a finance official said Wednesday. The July 27-28 talks in Washington are the first meeting under the Obama administration of the United States-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

July 12th, 2009 Australia: Rio detention could hurt China businessBEIJING — Australian officials said Sunday that China has not given them any evidence to support its detention of an Australian mining executive on spying charges and warned that the affair could discourage foreign companies from doing business there. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters in western Australia that officials will seek information Monday on the detention of Rio Tinto employee Stern Hu.

July 9th, 2009 China arrests Rio Tinto employees on spy chargeBEIJING — Four employees of Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd. have been arrested on charges of stealing state secrets, China's foreign ministry said Thursday, following their detention amid contentious iron ore price talks.

July 9th, 2009 China to let Australia see Rio Tinto managerBEIJING — China agreed to let Australia's diplomats meet Friday with a detained Australian employee of miner Rio Tinto Ltd. after the government said it had proof he and three co-workers stole state secrets.

July 9th, 2009 China says Rio Tinto employees stole state secretsBEIJING — China has proof four detained employees of miner Rio Tinto Ltd. stole state secrets for foreign countries, the government said Thursday, following their detention amid contentious iron ore price talks.

May 4th, 2009 Taiwanese tycoon challenges Buffet's investmentTAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwanese business tycoon has criticized U.S. investor Warren Buffet's decision to invest in a Chinese battery and car maker allegedly involved in stealing trade secrets.

May 4th, 2009 Taiwanese tycoon challenges Buffett's investmentTAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwanese business tycoon has criticized U.S. investor Warren Buffett's decision to invest in a Chinese battery and car maker allegedly involved in stealing trade secrets.