Four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto stood trial in China today, while the company's chief executive said in Beijing that Rio remained committed to working with the key Asian customer.
Australian national Stern Hu and three Chinese employees of Rio faced prosecutors in the court in Shanghai, China's financial hub, all accused of taking bribes and violating commercial secrets.
While the trial got underway in a concrete building near an elevated highway in Shanghai, Rio chief executive Tom Albanese signalled to an audience in the Chinese capital that he did not want to jeopardise business ties with China, the world's biggest consumer of iron ore.
"This issue is obviously of great concern to us," Mr Albanese told a forum of officials and executives, referring to the case. "I can only say we respectfully await the outcome of the Chinese legal process."
Mr Albanese said "we remain committed to strengthening our relationship with China, not just because you are our biggest customer, but because we see long-term business advantages for both of us."
The four employees from Rio's iron ore team, including Mr Hu, were detained last summer at the height of fraught negotiations over 2009 ore prices, creating a furore over China's opaque state secrets laws.
Chinese media last summer accused the four of seeking information about Chinese mines and steel mills, which many firms consider legitimate market information.
Rio has said that its employees did nothing wrong.
China has excluded Australian diplomats from observing the part of the trial concerning commercial secrets, drawing protests from Canberra, which says they have the right to be present for the whole trial, scheduled to last three days.
Before entering the court, Australia's Consul-General in Shanghai, Tom Connor, told a crush of reporters he would make a statement after the day's proceedings.
Reuters