Australia expressed disappointment Thursday that charges of stealing business secrets against one of its citizens would be tried in a closed court in China, and some lawmakers doubted the mining executive involved would get a fair hearing. Australian national Stern Hu is one of four ...

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia urged China on Thursday to allow its diplomats full access to the trial of four Rio Tinto staff charged with commercial spying in a case that could hurt political and economic ties. "The world will be watching how this particular court case is conducted," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters, adding the Australian government would do everything ...

The trial of four Rio Tinto employees will last three days with part of the proceedings closed to the public, a Chinese court said Thursday. Australian passport holder Stern Hu and three Chinese employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant will go on trial at 8:30 am (0030 GMT) Monday at the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, the ...

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Thursday warned China that the "world will be watching" next week's trial of a Rio Tinto mining executive, as officials urged Beijing to let them attend. Rudd's comments are likely to increase pressure on China over the highly sensitive trial of Stern Hu and three Chinese colleagues, which will take place largely ...