China CISA Consultant: Unsure If Ore Talks Can Finish End-Jul
July 14 2009 - 11:49PM
Dow Jones News
China's iron ore term price negotiations with global mining
majors are still going on, a consultant to the China Iron and Steel
Association said Wednesday.
Zou Jian, a consultant and former executive director of the
association, said he is unsure whether the talks, now entangled in
China's espionage charges against four employees of
Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto Plc (RTP), could be completed by
the end of July.
When asked if the Rio Tinto spy case is related with local iron
ore business consolidation, he said, "The foreign ministry has
already said this is an individual case, and it has no relation
with other things."
It isn't clear whether media reports on a widening government
probe implicating Chinese steel firms were reliable, he said.
-Juan Chen contributed to this report, Dow Jones Newswires; 8610
6588 5848; juan.chen@dowjones.com