Four employees of the Rio Tinto mining company were arrested in the China for espionage

In Shanghai, on suspicion of espionage, four employees of the third largest in the world of the Australian-British mining corporation Rio Tinto were detained, the Chinese agency Xinhua reports with reference to representatives of the Shanghai State Security Department.

On Wednesday, Western media reported about the detention with reference to the statement of the Australian Foreign Ministry. It was reported that a citizen of Australia and three Chinese citizens working in the corporation are suspected of "abduction of state secrets of the PRC", RIA Novosti reports. Other details of the case are not known.

Among the suspects was Stern Hu, Australia citizen and general director of the Shanghai office of the company, who was responsible for the Rio Tinto business associated with iron ore in China, reports Reuters. Representatives of the Australian company refused to give any comments in connection with the arrests.

Rio Tinto operates in 20 countries. The concern mines iron ore, copper, coal, uranium, aluminum, diamonds and gold, and also produces titanium dioxide.

Recall that in early June, Rio Tinto abandoned investment of $ 19.5 billion from the Chinese Chinalco aluminum producer. In the conditions of a decline in prices for metals and low availability of loans at the peak of the Chinalco crisis, it has achieved favorable conditions for itself, which, however, did not arrange Rio investors. The Chinese met Rio statements with regret.