Australian officials yet to visit detained Rio 'spy'
Posted
Updated
Stephen Smith is urging China to allow Australian officials to see Mr Hu (AAP: Alan Porritt)
The Federal Government says it cannot be certain that an Australian Rio Tinto employee being detained by Chinese officials has been treated appropriately.
Rio Tinto's iron ore operations chief Stern Hu was detained on Sunday on suspicion of espionage and stealing state secrets.
The Chinese Government has not yet allowed Australian consular officials to meet Mr Hu, who has been living in Shanghai for the last 10 years with his wife.
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith says the Government is urging China to allow Australian officials to see Mr Hu as soon as possible.
"That's one of the reasons why we want access to him, is to satisfy ourselves as to his welfare, to satisfy ourselves as to his well-being and to get some indication from him as to how we can be of assistance," he said.
Both the Federal Government and Rio Tinto say the accusations come as a complete surprise.
Mr Smith says the Government is doing what it can to try to get access to Mr Hu.
"I'm satisfied, very satisfied, that our response to date has been a sensible and proportionate response," he said.
"We will continue to make all the points we've been making privately and now publicly to Chinese officials."
Search ABC News
Featured Video
-
Video
Two pilots have died after their plane crashed at the RAAF base in Darwin.
-
Video
After a year long political battle, the US House of Representatives has approved US President Obama's health overhaul.
-
Video
Tiger Woods speaks for the first time since his affairs became public.
-
Video
Another Haiti earthquake has killed two people in the second largest city of Cap-Haitien.
The ABC News Online Investigative Unit encourages whistleblowers, and others with access to information they believe should be revealed for the public good, to contact us.
