Aust-China relations improving: Smith

ArticleData Array ( [Article] => Array ( [article_id] => 1117901 [headline] => Aust-China relations improving: Smith [abstract] =>

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says that while the Stern Hu case has put a significant strain on relations between Beijing and Canberra, "things are getting back to business as usual".

[keywords] => China, Stern Hu [content] =>

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says that while the Stern Hu case has put a significant strain on relations between Beijing and Canberra, "things are getting back to business as usual".
 
The Shanghai-based head of Rio Tinto's iron ore operations in China, and three others, were detained on July 5 accused of corporate espionage and bribery.
 
Chinese authorities this week announced they had extended their investigations into Mr Hu.
 
The case has been discussed between Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit.
 
"It's a good thing that the pime minister has met with Premier Wen Jiabao in the margins of the East Asia Summit," Mr Smith said.
 
"Whilst we've had some significant tensions in the relationship, we believe very much in the last month or so things are getting back to business as usual and that's a very good thing with a very important relationship."
 
Mr Smith said the matter was being treated primarily as a consular case.
 
"We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to bring this matter to a conclusion as quickly as possible, to expedite it."
 

[start_date] => 25 October 2009 | 04:38:06 PM [comments_allowed] => 1 [source] => AAP [commentCount] => 0 [video] => [image] => [audio] => [reporter] => [relatedLinks] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [id] => 1117661 [label] => Jailed exec a concern, Rudd tells China [display_order] => 1 [type] => Article ) ) [relatedArticles] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [article_id] => 1117661 [headline] => Jailed exec a concern, Rudd tells China [abstract] => PM Kevin Rudd has expressed continuing concern over the detention of Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu during a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. [content] =>

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has expressed his continuing concern over the detention of Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu during a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

The Shanghai-based head of Rio Tinto's iron ore operations in China, and three others, were detained on July 5 accused of corporate espionage and bribery.

Chinese authorities this week announced they had extended their investigations into Mr Hu.

Mr Rudd met with Premier Wen on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit on Saturday afternoon, where they discussed climate change, trade and the Rio Tinto case.

"In the discussion I had with Premier Wen I indicated we had continuing consulate matters which need to be resolved between our foreign ministers, and this included representatives of the Australian company Rio Tinto," Mr Rudd told reporters.

"My purpose in raising these matters today was simply to highlight the fact that this is a continuing matter of concern to Australia."

Mr Rudd will meet with leaders from Korea, Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines on the sidelines of the summit on Sunday.

Mr Rudd confirmed that Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang, tipped to replace Mr Wen as premier, would visit Australia "soon".

[content_type_id] => 3 [site_name] => World News Australia [articledate] => 25 October 2009 [articletime] => 25 October 2009 [display_order] => 1 ) ) [comments] => Array ( ) ) [winston] => test )