Rio trial in China goes behind closed doors

CHINA: A Chinese court on Tuesday moved the diplomatically sensitive trial of an Australian executive with mining giant Rio Tinto behind closed doors, after he admitted he had taken bribes.

Stern Hu and three Chinese employees first appeared in the dock on Monday in a case that has soured ties between Beijing and Canberra, and stoked concerns about doing business in China and the rule of law in the country.

Hu and the other men - Liu Caikui, Wang Yong, and Ge Minqiang - are being tried on bribe-taking and trade secrets charges, eight months after their arrest and detention in Shanghai.

"The court declared that was the end of the proceedings related to bribery charges and that the session this afternoon would be related to the commercial secrets charges," said Australia's consul general in Shanghai, Tom Connor.

He told reporters outside the court that the defendants had been given an opportunity to personally respond to the charges during the morning session, but Hu made no comment.

Connor added that the afternoon session would be closed to Australian diplomats.

Canberra has asked China to reconsider the closure of the other hearings.

The closed-door hearings have added to questions over whether the men can get a fair trial.

Hu, the head of the Anglo-Australian company's Shanghai office, pleaded guilty on Monday to taking bribes, said Liu's attorney, Tao Wuping.

The Australian however contested the amount of the bribes. Australia's government also said Hu "made some admissions," but said it would make no further comment until the proceedings end on Wednesday.

Hu was charged with accepting a total of around six million yuan (880,000 dollars) in bribes, according to Tao and the Australian government. Tao said both Hu and Liu pleaded guilty.

He said the others also were accused in court of accepting large bribes, but it was not immediately clear how they had pleaded.

Shanghai, Tuesday, AFP