China remains tight-lipped on Hu

Australian Stern Hu may only find out exactly what China is accusing him of doing
when and if Beijing decides to lay charges.
It is now two weeks since Mr Hu, the Shanghai-based head of Rio Tinto's iron ore
operations in China, was detained by Chinese authorities, along with three of his
colleagues.
Canberra has struggled to squeeze information out of Beijing since first learning Mr
Hu was being accused of spying and stealing state secrets.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith raised Australia's concern with junior Chinese
foreign minister He Yafei, who has responsibility for Oceania, during a meeting on
the sidelines of a conference in Egypt late last week.
Mr Smith admitted Canberra was still seeking more details but Beijing was unlikely
to provide more information while its investigation into the case was ongoing.
"It's quite clear more information is required but that is now clearly bound up, so
far as the Chinese are concerned, in an ongoing investigation," he told ABC TV.
"Stern Hu may well be charged. If he's charged then that will bring with it the more
precise information that is required for him, and - if it comes to it - his legal
representatives to defend his interests."
There is no clear indication of how long Mr Hu can be held without charge under
Chinese law.
What China has made clear is that its investigation is focusing on the unusually
contentious 2009 round of iron ore negotiations in which Beijing has been seeking
deeper cuts in prices than producers are willing to agree to.
"That is their clear focus, they're not interested in what we would regard as
espionage or national security matters," Mr Smith said.
"These are commercial and economic matters, which, under their general definition of
state secrets, is included."
The opposition continued its call for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to open up a
dialogue on behalf of Mr Hu at a more senior level.
"Here is an opportunity for Mr Rudd to use his personal and special relationships
with the Chinese leadership in the interests of, not only an Australian citizen who
has been detained without charge, but also in Australia's broader commercial
interest," opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop told the Ten Network.
Her Liberal colleague West Australian Premier Colin Barnett may raise the issue
during a nine-day official visit to China.
Mr Barnett will try to boost his state's trade and investment relationship with a
nation he says is harbouring "a fair degree of anger" about Australia's approach to
the arrest of Mr Hu.
While he has indicated he will raise the issue if appropriate, he has vowed not to
do anything to harm Mr Hu's circumstances.