Australia and China exchange warnings ahead of Rio Tinto trial

Thursday, 18 March 2010 17:38:10 (GMT+2)

China and Australia have traded warnings days before the Rio Tinto trial regarding the charges against four Shanghai-based employees of the Australian mining giant, including Australian citizen Stern Hu.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang warned Australia on March 18 against politicizing the trial of the four executives, hours after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that "the world will be watching" the case.

"We are doing all that is necessary to support Mr. Hu's interests," Rudd told reporters in Canberra, according to the Australian press. "The world will be watching how this particular court case is conducted."

As reported by official Chinese news agency Xinhua, at a press conference hours after Rudd's statement, Qin said that the Chinese authorities would handle the case in line with legal procedures and consular agreements with Australia, adding that rights of the defendants would be safeguarded.

As SteelOrbis previously reported, the trial is to be held at the Shanghai Number One Intermediate Court on March 22. The charges against the employees, who have been detained since July 5, 2009, relate to receiving bribes and stealing commercial secrets. Rio Tinto said that the sessions on receiving bribes will be held in open court and the sessions on stealing commercial secrets in closed court, reiterating the company's hope for a transparent and expeditious process for its employees.

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