If filing charges against business people operating in China who are involved in bribes, the courts may be able to hire quite a few new workers to help with the heavy load. It could take care of the unemployment problem though they'll need to build a few more prisons, thus creating even more jobs. Everything will be fine until someone below figures out that all roads lead to party leadership. Who really wants to do business with that government? Can we quit acting as though the communist regime is a good business partner?
The four employees of the mining giant's Shanghai business – including an Australian national, Stern Hu – have been held since July. Although the original, more serious, charges of stealing state secrets have been downgraded, they still face more than 20 years in prison if convicted.In other words, it was business as usual in China.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency yesterday reported that the four are accused of requesting and accepting "huge" bribes from Chinese steel companies, as well as using "improper" means to obtain commercially sensitive information.
"Many times they used personal inducements and other improper means to obtain information from Chinese steel firms, causing serious consequences for the steel companies concerned," Xinhua said.
