Editorials

Move beyond Rio Tinto

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-25 07:48

Editor's note: Neither Rio Tinto suit nor Google withdrawal should be politicalized. Business Professionalism is needed in international investments.

The Rio Tinto court case should be strictly regarded as a commercial one. Any attempt to politicize it will adversely impact the growth of Sino-Australian bilateral ties.

The Chinese government has reiterated that the case, involving Stern Hu, an Australian citizen, and his three Chinese colleagues, will be heard and tried according to Chinese law.

A three-day trial of the four employees of Australian iron ore giant Rio Tinto was concluded in Shanghai on Wednesday, with all the defendants acknowledging the truth to some of the bribery charges. The four have also been charged with stealing commercial secrets.

Ever since the arrest of the four Rio Tinto employees in July, some opinionated Australian politicians and media have been fanning anti-China sentiments and sowing the seed of distrust between the two peoples.

Even before Monday's trial, some in the Southern hemisphere continued to spread the rumor that the four were wronged, and that the Chinese court would not deliver a fair trial due to the fact that China has a different judicial system.

The rumor collapsed on itself by the time the defendants plead guilty to the bribery charges. As a country holding normal diplomatic ties with China, Australia should fully respect China's judicial sovereignty. Any suspicion of a fair trial is groundless as well as irresponsible.

It is inappropriate either to link the case with China's foreign investment environment. The country has always remained consistent in welcoming foreign investments and improving its policy toward overseas investors.

Whatever the outcome of the trial, the Rio Tinto case should not be regarded as a barometer of the ups and downs in Sino-Australian trade and political ties. Being highly complementary from an economic standpoint, China and Australia have more to gain from maintaining robust economic ties. A sound bilateral relationship will also contribute to regional peace and development.

It's time for the two countries to move beyond the dark shadow cast by the case, and forge ahead with closer cooperation.

(China Daily 03/25/2010 page8)