Wednesday July 8, 12:38 PM
Australian Rio Tinto executive held in China: FM
MELBOURNE (AFP) - An Australian executive with mining giant Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO.L - news) was being held in China as a suspected spy, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Wednesday.
He said Australian passport holder Stern Hu was detained in Shanghai on Sunday with three other executives from the Anglo-Australian company.
"This afternoon Australian officials were advised that the reason for Mr Hu's detention was that he was being detained on the suspicion of espionage and stealing state secrets," Smith told reporters.
Smith said there was no evidence of any link between Hu's detention and commercial matters concerning Rio, which is locked in tense negotiations with China over lucrative iron ore contracts.
"It came as a surprise to our officials in the Australian government, as it came as a surprise to Rio Tinto," he said
Smith said consular officials were seeking access to Hu, a long-time Rio employee based in Shanghai, and were in contact with his wife, also an Australian citizen and resident in the Chinese city.
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