China warns Australia not to interfere in Rio ‘spy’ case

AFP, Beijing

China warned Australia Thursday not to interfere in the case of a Rio Tinto executive held on spy claims, after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd took a tough line against Beijing.
"We are firmly against anyone stirring up the case and interfering with the independent judicial authority of China. This is not in the interest of Australia," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters.
Rudd warned Wednesday that China had "significant" business interests on the line in the case of Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and cautioned that foreign governments and international companies were watching developments closely. Hu, an Australian passport holder, and three Chinese colleagues were arrested by counter-espionage agents in Shanghai on July 5.