The trial of the Rio Tinto Four has come to an ugly end with lengthy prison sentences for the Chinese-born employees of the big miner, including Australian citizen Stern Hu. Reporters were allowed to witness the trial’s final day via closed-circuit TV – but no further details about the alleged crimes were forthcoming. We really have no insight into what the four people allegedly did, nor do we know who was on the other side of alleged bribes and exchanges of commercial secrets. As Australia’s foreign minister, Stephen Smith, lamented, “there are serious unanswered questions” about the charges relating to theft of commercial secrets such that “the international business community will want to pursue with China.” Little was heard from Rio Tinto itself – the Australian company has left public statements to Canberra during the eight-month process, and in the past week seemed to distance itself from its employees. This even though the workers’ guilt was by no means established via an open and transparent proceeding. With the exception of Google, Western companies are much too eager to remain in Beijing’s good graces.
4 Comments to China, Rio Tinto And The Travesty Of Justice
March 30, 2010
[...] commercial secrets. "We really have no insight into what the four people allegedly did," Gabriella Stern writes. At best, the cost and risk of doing business in China has just risen significantly; at worst, [...]
rameshMarch 30, 2010
gabby,
it’s all about the money, isn’t it? why else, for instance, would NYT apologize to the singapore govt for saying Lee Hsien Loong is Lee Kuan Yew’s son?
as for google, they weren’t doing too well in china, since baidu was waaaaay ahead. so they decided to move out and score a few points while doing so, because the west so loves american companies “standing” up to the enemies of freedom and democracy (middle east not included). [http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2010/03/26/pr-politics-and-money-the-real-reasons-googles-leaving-china/] google thinks people can’t see through its fraudulent veneer.
March 30, 2010
[...] commercial secrets. "We really have no insight into what the four people allegedly did," Gabriella Stern writes. At best, the cost and risk of doing business in China has just risen significantly; at worst, [...]
March 29, 2010
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Randomly Noted. Randomly Noted said: New Blog Post: China, Rio Tinto And The Travesty Of Justice http://newswires-americas.com/randomnotes/?p=6963 [...]