Wednesday July 15, 03:26 AM
Australia PM warns China over Rio Tinto 'spy' case
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SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has warned that China had significant economic interests at stake in the case of a mining executive accused of spying, adding the matter was being closely watched from abroad.
Rudd said he had told Beijing he was taking a personal interest in the case of detained Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO.L - news) executive Stern Hu, signalling a tough new line on the incident, which has sparked diplomatic friction between the trading partners.
"Australia of course has significant economic interests in its relationship with China, but I also want to remind our Chinese friends that China too has significant economic interests at stake in its relationship with Australia and with its other commercial partners around the world," Rudd told a press conference.
"A range of foreign governments and corporations will be watching this case with interest and be watching it very closely, and will be drawing their own conclusions as to how it is conducted."
He said Canberra had made a total of 20 representations to China since Hu's arrest in Shanghai on July 5, adding the government was deploying "all levels of consular and diplomatic representations in support of Mr. Hu's interests."
China had indicated through public statements that Hu was being investigated on suspicion of espionage and stealing state secrets, making it a "massively complex" case to work through, he said.
"We pursue a broad-based relationship with the Chinese, one where we will pursue all of our interests simultaneously," he said.
"When it comes to prosecuting the interests and supporting the wellbeing of individual Australians abroad that will be done with full vigour ... without compromise to the interests of a single Australian."
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