Photo taken on July 9, 2009 shows the Rio Tinto Ltd. Office in Shanghai, east China. Four employees of the Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd. have been arrested over alleged stealing of China's state secrets, including Stern Hu, general manager of the company's Shanghai offic. The four people, including Hu, had been detained by China's security authorities Sunday evening.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China said on Thursday that it would handle the spy case related to Rio Tinto employees "according to the law".

    Four employees of the Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd. have been arrested over alleged stealing of China's state secrets, including Stern Hu, general manager of the company's Shanghai office.

    "Hu is suspected of stealing China's state secret. The four people including Hu had been detained by China's security authorities Sunday evening," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a press conference Thursday.

A man walks inside the Rio Tinto Ltd. Office in Shanghai, east China, July 9, 2009. Four employees of the Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd. have been arrested over alleged stealing of China's state secrets, including Stern Hu, general manager of the company's Shanghai offic. The four people, including Hu, had been detained by China's security authorities Sunday evening.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Four Rio Tinto employees detained in China for spying

    SHANGHAI, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Four employees of the Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Ltd. have been detained on charges of stealing China's state secrets, the Shanghai state security authorities said Thursday.

    They included Stern Hu, general manager of the company's Shanghai office, who was also in charge of the iron ore business in China, according to the Shanghai municipal state security agency. Full story