Chinese authorities have extended their investigation into a Rio Tinto executive arrested for alleged spying, but the full case against him remains unknown, an Australian official said Friday.

Stern Hu, Rio Tinto’s lead negotiator in iron ore price talks, was
detained in Shanghai in July on allegations of spying and bribery.
Chinese officials later indicated he would face charges of industrial
espionage. “I can confirm that the investigation into Stern Hu has been
extended,” a spokeswoman for the Australian Department of Foreign
Affairs told AFP. “Mr Hu has been formally arrested on suspicion of
violating commercial secrets and taking bribes. Full details of the
actual charges are not likely to be known until he is brought to
trial.” The arrest of Hu, along with three Rio Tinto colleagues,
prompted the Anglo-Australian mining giant to suspend iron ore
negotiations with China and raised tensions between Canberra and key
trading partner Beijing. Rio, which has said iron ore sales to China
have been “maintained at a high level” despite the arrests, has denied
accusations that Hu bribed steel mill officials during failed talks
aimed at setting annual iron ore prices. His arrest came just weeks
after Rio snubbed a 19.5 billion US dollar cash injection from China’s
Chinalco in favour of a major rights issue and iron ore joint venture
with fierce rival BHP Billiton.

Source: AFP

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