Australia: doesn't know if China's Hu backed Rio probe

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said on Monday he was not in a position to know if media reports that China's President Hu Jintao endorsed an investigation into employees of global miner Rio Tinto Ltd were true.

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper said the investigations appeared to be part of a realignment of how China managed its economy in the wake of the global financial crisis, with spy and security agencies promoted to top strategy-making bodies.

Last week, Chinese authorities detained Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto's top iron ore salesman in China, Australian Stern Hu, and three of his Chinese subordinates, on suspicion of stealing state secrets.

(Reporting by Mark Bendeich)