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[quote=BOBERT,370607]Article from: The Australian AUSTRALIA is directly challenging China's claims of espionage against detained iron ore executive Stern Hu, setting the Rudd government on course for its most serious foreign policy crisis since taking office in November 2007. As Australian consular officials gained access to Mr Hu for the first time since his arrest last Sunday by Chinese secret police, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith suggested Mr Hu had been conducting normal commercial negotiations. "Frankly, it is difficult for a nation like Australia to see a relationship between espionage and national security and what appeared to be suggestions about commercial or economic negotiations," Mr Smith said. Mr Hu, a Chinese-born Australian and the head of Rio Tinto's iron ore operations in China, has spent almost a week in detention without being charged. He was arrested with three senior Chinese employees of Rio. It also emerged yesterday that Mr Hu's detention coincided with a Chinese government crackdown against iron ore officials across the country. Reports in Beijing said an official from China's Capital Steel company had been arrested. This was in addition to Tan Yixin from Shougang International Trade and Engineers Corporation. The Chinese government was also said to be targeting executives from two other steel companies. An official Chinese government website said yesterday Mr Hu had bribed staff of Chinese steel companies during fraught negotiations over this year's iron ore prices. [/quote]
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