China’s state prosecutor in Shanghai has formally charged four employees of Rio Tinto, an Australian mining giant, with illegally obtaining commercial secrets, a lesser charge than the “theft of state secrets” originally under consideration. The four, Australian Stern Hu and three Chinese employees, were arrested in early July and accused of spying. The prosecutor’s office said that “a fair verdict” would be handed down, which is interpreted to mean that the case will go to trial. The case has complicated relations between China and Australia, where two-way trade was worth $53 billion in 2008. Chinese-born Hu and his team were accused of illegally obtaining China’s negotiating position ahead of crucial iron ore price talks. NYT, Reuters, Xinhua

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