66 Results

China’s crackdown on dissent is only the culmination of a wave of repression by a government facing growing economic discontent.

The trial of the Rio Tinto Four is providing damning evidence of extensive bribery, involving huge sums of cash, watches and Stern Hu skimming a 30% personal commission, reports John Garnaut.

The Chinese delivered a backhander to Kevin Rudd this week over Stern Hu. Rudd didn’t mind, and gave one back. This government’s relationship with China is more complex than the media thinks.

The Chinese were, of course, joking about the financial impact of the actions of former Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and his three fellow workers, since last year iron ore imports in China were up 41%.

Former Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and his co-accused obviously did things in China that were wrong. But they also became embroiled in the current power struggle for control of China, writes Robert Gottliebsen.

In the wake of the Rio Tinto Four trial, the BBC looks at how accurate accusations of dodgy dealings by foreign companies in China are: pretty credible, actually, but they’re just playing by the local rules.

The verdict is in: Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu has been sentenced to 10-years’ prison in China for bribery. Yes, the Chinese justice system is unfair and corrupt, says Hugo Restall, the blame lays squarely with Rio.

The Reserve Bank has joined with the commercial banks in giving the Prime Minister the best possible reason to get his re-election bid over with as soon as possible. Plus, Stern Hu and the state elections are over in today’s political snippets.

When the dust settles on Stern Hu’s ‘three day trial’, the business community will take a much dimmer view of both China’s business environment and of the country’s political-economy, writes John lee.

Rio Tinto exec Stern Hu — who is still sitting in a Chinese jail — has not seen his family since July, wears a neon-orange jumpsuit and is forced to sit upright or sleep on a communal board, reveals John Garnaut.

The official Chinese government findings are in: the Australian government and Rio Tinto are not to blame for the collapsed Chinalco deal. Rather, a combination of economic forces brought it down. John Garnaut reports.

The Stern Hu and Google affair have Aussie businesses petrified over how to protect their information from the Chinese government. Companies are adopting strict security measures, including travelling without their laptops and Blackberries.

China’s Vice-Premier Li Keqiang recent trip down under only serves as a salutary reminder of the increasingly sophisticated yet tough approach by the PRC in its dealings with weaker nation states such as Australia, writes Tony Lamond.

Coalition MPs have done themselves no favours with their behaviour in the House of Representatives this week — temper tantrums don’t win support or votes. Plus pre-mixed concrete sales cements economic predictions and remember those jailed Rio execs? Hu? Exactly.

Anna Bligh worries about new Bandidos clubhouses and further Fairfax subscription woes. Plus, who is rumoured to play Steve Irwin in the new telemovie titled Crikey?

The Coalition just can’t decide what their stand is on China/Australia relations. The only thing they can agree on: all the diplomatic problems are thanks to PM Kevin Rudd, writes Lenore Taylor.

Stern Hu and the three other Rio Tinto employees arrested in China are no longer facing the death sentence or life in prison, after being charged with illegally obtaining corporate secrets and bribery, but not the more serious charges of spying that had been expected.

Stern Hu and his three Chinese associates have been arrested, but there has been no mention of espionage, the most serious charge of all.

The four Rio Tinto employees being detained in China, including Australian Stern Hu, have officially had the cuffs slapped on, according to this China Daily report.

Rio Tinto says it has still seen no evidence to support the detention of its four employees being detained in China for spying.