China Says It Has Evidence of Rio Tinto Spying

[Coventina]

Source: Wall Street Journal

The Chinese government Thursday said prosecutors have sufficient evidence that an Australian employee of Rio Tinto PLC stole state secrets, hurting China's economic security.

In its first official response to the case, Qin Gang, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that Australian national Stern Hu is being detained for stealing state secrets for a foreign country.

Shanghai security authorities have held four Rio Tinto employees from the Shanghai office, including Mr. Hu, head of the company's iron-ore operations in China, and three Chinese nationals, since Sunday.

"Chinese authorities have in fact obtained evidence which proves they stole -- for a foreign country -- Chinese state secrets, which hurt China's economic interests and economic security," Mr. Qin said at a regular news briefing held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. " Hu is the chief representative for Rio Tinto's Shanghai office. On the evening of July 5, he was detained by related government authorities on suspicion of spying and stealing China's state secrets."



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124711665049016593.html

[Joanne98]

1. HAHAHA!

[CynicalObserver]

5. Like China never ever spied for economic reasons.

This becomes laughable, aside from the detail that they are the largest and most active creditor of the US, at which times it is motive to just cry.

Folks here and other places get stuck on the D and R thing, but they don't seem to grasp that the US is being sold down the river by both parties. The dollar is going to be badly devalued in this administration, and how many posters here benefit from this?

[Mudoria]

2. Isn't this about like the pot and kettle cliche?

The Chinese are attempting to steal anything they can get their hands on in every advanced country in the world.

[David__77]

3. Every big country engages in economic espionage.

If they didn't, they'd be stupid. The key is to have adequate counter-intelligence.

[dysfunctional press]

4. the other key is to not get caught.