English Story

Rio shares fall on china claims rio被中国指控间谍活动,股价

Shares in Anglo-Australian mining firm Rio Tinto have fallen after China intensified its spying allegations against the company.

澳洲英国侨民的采矿企业Rio Tinto公司在中国对其增强了间谍行动的监控之后,股价下跌。

Rio Tinto says its workers have done nothing wrong
Rio Tinto says its workers have done nothing wrong

China's State Secrets Bureau website said Rio Tinto had spied on Chinese steel mills for six years and helped to inflate(充气,膨胀) iron ore(铁矿石) prices.

It said Chinese steelmakers had lost 700bn yuan ($102bn; £61.2bn) through overpaying for imported iron ore.

Rio shares shed 3.3% on Monday following the weekend report.

The report said: "This six-year espionage case involved corruption, information gathering and spying."

Spying row

Last month, China accused four Rio Tinto workers of stealing state secrets, which the company has denied.

Australia has repeatedly sought a quick resolution of the case, in which one Australian and three Chinese Rio Tinto staff have been detained.

China, which detained Australian Stern Hu on 5 July, has told Australia not to interfere(干涉) in the legal process.

Analysts said the latest development in the Rio Tinto spying allegation case had added to investors' jitters(紧张).

"It has to be a concern for anybody marketing anything into China," said Tim Barker, an analyst at BT Investment Management.