Govt: Proof against spies sticks

Sufficient evidence exists that employees of a multinational mining group committed acts of espionage and stole State secrets, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Stern Hu, a general manager for the Chinese operation at Rio Tinto's iron ore division, as well as three other employees at the mining company were detained July 5 for alleged spying. Their acts caused huge losses for China's economic and security interests, said Qin Gang yesterday.

During iron ore price negotiations that China held earlier this year with Rio Tinto, Vale of Brazil and BHP Billiton of Australia, Hu and the three Rio Tinto employees procured national secrets by bribing insiders with Chinese steelmakers, according to Shanghai's State Security Bureau.