Monday July 20, 09:00 AM
Detained Rio Tinto executive in good health: Aus
SINGAPORE (AFP) - Stern Hu, the detained mining executive at the centre of a row between Australia and China, is in good health and being treated well, Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean said here Monday.
"He is in very good health, and he says he is in good health. He appears in good health, according to our consul general, and he for all intents and purposes is being treated well," he told Australian businesspeople in Singapore.
Crean reiterated a call for China to spell out the charges against the Australian and three other employees of Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO.L - news) who have been accused in Chinese media of bribery and stealing state secrets.
"We don't know what the charges are because the charges haven't been laid and we would like the answer to the question, that's why we've been asking the Chinese government and the authorities to give us more and better particulars and to do it expeditiously," Crean said.
The Australian minister, who was in Singapore for Asia-Pacific (002790.KS - news) trade talks, said China was complying with bilateral consular processes in the case of Hu.
"As for its economic impact on the relationship between our two countries, I don't believe particularly, if this case is handled properly, (that) it will have any impact on those relations," Crean said.
Hu was arrested along with three Chinese colleagues on July 5. They have been accused of spying and stealing state secrets by allegedly bribing Chinese steel mill officials.
Some commentators have speculated that Hu's detention is linked to Rio's decision to snub a massive cash injection from China's state-owned Chinalco last month.
The detentions have sparked a diplomatic spat with China angrily telling Australia not to interfere after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd warned its economic interests were at stake.
Rio Tinto has rejected the allegations against its four employees as "wholly without foundation".
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