Australian FM hopes to discuss Rio case with China

[July 21, 2009]  CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday he hopes to discuss the detention of an Australian mining executive accused by China of stealing state secrets with his Chinese counterpart this week.

Stephen Smith flew to Thailand on Tuesday for an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting that China will be participating in.

Smith said he hoped to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the forum's sidelines. The Australian foreign minister said he would raise the case of Shanghai-based Rio Tinto Ltd. executive Stern Hu who was detained amid contentious iron ore price talks between the world's biggest mining companies and Chinese steel mills. Rio Tinto was leading the talks.

Chinese state media have said Hu and three other Rio Tinto employees detained on July 5 are accused of bribing executives from Chinese mills to get access to industry data, which the Communist government considers secret.

"If my Chinese counterpart is there I hope ... to speak to him about Stern Hu," Smith told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio on Tuesday before leaving Australia.

Smith has voiced frustration that Australia has had to rely on Chinese media reports to glean details of Hu's case. The Australian citizen has not yet been charged.

[Associated Press; By ROD McGUIRK]

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