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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Four Rio Tinto executives jailed | Four Rio Tinto executives jailed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Four Rio Tinto executives have been found guilty of bribery and secrets theft by a Chinese court and have all been handed lengthy jail terms. | Four Rio Tinto executives have been found guilty of bribery and secrets theft by a Chinese court and have all been handed lengthy jail terms. |
| Australian Stern Hu was handed a 10 year sentence. Wang Yong was given 14 years, Liu Caikui seven years and Ge Minqiang eight years. | Australian Stern Hu was handed a 10 year sentence. Wang Yong was given 14 years, Liu Caikui seven years and Ge Minqiang eight years. |
| The four colleagues were on trial last week in Shanghai. | The four colleagues were on trial last week in Shanghai. |
| The trial has heightened concerns among the foreign business community in China. | The trial has heightened concerns among the foreign business community in China. |
| Australian diplomats have expressed concern about the lack of transparency in China's conduct of the trial. | Australian diplomats have expressed concern about the lack of transparency in China's conduct of the trial. |
| They and other foreign observers were barred from parts of the trial dealing with the commercial espionage charges. | They and other foreign observers were barred from parts of the trial dealing with the commercial espionage charges. |
| 'Wrist slap' | |
| Stern Hu was Rio Tinto's lead negotiator in talks with Chinese steel mills to try to settle a price for China to buy iron ore from Australian mining companies. | |
| During the trial, the defendants admitted taking bribes, but disputed the amounts of money involved, their lawyers said. | During the trial, the defendants admitted taking bribes, but disputed the amounts of money involved, their lawyers said. |
| Admissions of guilt had led some observers to believe the court may be lenient towards the executives. | |
| The length of the sentences, therefore, came as something of a surprise. | |
| "A slap on the wrist might have been expected, with both sides trying to put this behind them as soon as possible, but this is far longer [sentencing] than we thought," said Paul Bartholomew at Steel Business Briefing. |