Adelaide, Australia » Bribery allegations against four Rio Tinto Ltd. employees detained in China are "wholly without foundation," the mining giant said Friday, as Australia continued to press Beijing for details of a case that is straining ties between the two nations.

Rio Tinto's iron ore CEO Sam Walsh said the company is concerned about its employees, who were detained July 5 on spying charges while Rio was acting as lead negotiator for global iron ore suppliers in contentious price talks with Chinese steel mills. Three of the detained employees are Chinese nationals and one is an Australian, who directs Rio's iron ore business in China.

"We remain fully supportive of our detained employees, and believe that they acted at all times with integrity and in accordance with Rio Tinto's strict and publicly stated code of ethical behavior," a company statement said.

The statement from Rio Tinto, parent of the Utah Kennecott companies, comes after a Chinese government-owned newspaper alleged Wednesday that executives from all 16 Chinese steel mills participating in iron ore price talks were bribed by Rio Tinto employees.

The Associated Press


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