Rio Executives, Stern Hu, an Australian, and three Chinese colleagues, have spent seven months in custody after they were arrested last July. They were originally charged for a capital offence of obtaining confidential state secrets.

It's been said the trail of the four executives concerning bribery will be open but will later be closed to deal with the commercial secrets trial.

On this, the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd warned China saying "The world will be watching" how the court case is conducted in the next week's trial, which is said to take place behind closed doors.

According to a Foreign Ministry's statement, Australia has asked China to leave that part of the trial open.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard also said, "We are obviously very disappointed that that court will not be conducted in an open fashion and representations are being made to the Chinese Government about that matter,"

The circumstances have led to strain relations between Australia and China.

This week's report said that Rio and China co. were back in a meeting to discuss about the joint expansion of a huge iron ore project in Guinea.

However, Rio Tinto says that the four Rio Executives have done nothing wrong.