US, EU chambers call for transparency in Rio case

(BEIJING) - US and European business leaders in China on Friday called for transparency in the prosecution of four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto on industrial espionage charges.

The formal indictment of Australian national Stern Hu and three Chinese colleagues on charges of bribery and illegally obtaining trade secrets has revived fears about the drawbacks for foreign firms doing business in China.

"It is critical that this case is carried out transparently, in a manner that treats all companies in China equally and is consistent with both Chinese law and international norms," said AmCham China president Michael Barbalas.

Joerg Wuttke, who leads the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, echoed Barbalas, saying he wanted to see "hard facts" that the four Rio staff, who were first detained in Shanghai in July, had committed crimes.

"The way they will conduct the court proceedings will be important. We are eager to see the level of transparency, and proof that bribing took place -- not accusations, hard facts," Wuttke told AFP.

Australia has also called for transparency in China's handling of the case.

Beijing has insisted that the four will be tried in accordance with the law, and that their rights will be protected, but a court spokeswoman said the trial was likely to take place behind closed doors.

Rio Tinto, the world's third biggest miner, voiced concern about the charges brought against its employees. The Anglo-Australian firm had previously said it did not know of any wrongdoing by its staff.

The detention of the four came during fractious iron ore contract talks which later lapsed and just weeks after Rio Tinto snubbed a near 20-billion dollar cash injection from a state-run Chinese company.