Feb 11 (Reuters) - China has indicted four employees of Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto on charges of bribery and stealing business secrets, setting the stage for a trial in a case that has jangled investor nerves.
The four who are set to stand trial in Shanghai include Australian citizen Stern Hu. If found guilty, they could face up to seven years in jail on the commercial secrets charge, and up to 20 years on the bribery charge.
The indictments will open another chapter in the case that has tested ties with Australia and unnerved foreign investors in China, where state power is never far from the negotiating table.
Here is an overview of key twists and turns in the case.
RECENT AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
* Jan 11 - A Chinese investigation into Hu and three colleagues is sent to prosecutors.
* Feb. 5 - Rio appoints new China head to smooth relations.
* Feb. 10 - China indicts four Rio Tinto employees on charges of illegally obtaining business secrets and bribery, opening the way for a trial that will focus attention on the country's sometimes murky business environment.
For a Q+A on the indictment see
* March - The case should go to trial within a month. This can be delayed by two weeks, but any further extension would require approval from a higher court. The trial is scheduled to be held at the Shanghai No 1 Intermediate People's Court.
CASE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
* Feb. 12, 2009 - China state-owned aluminium group Chinalco says it will invest $19.5 billion in Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto. The deal would be China's biggest overseas investment, and a rescue plan to halve Rio's $38 billion debt.
* Feb. 18 - Politicians question the deal, warning it could make Australia a branch of Beijing's economy.
* March 25 - Australia's competition watchdog clears deal.
* May 26 - Rio Tinto agrees a 33 percent price cut on iron ore with Japanese and Korean steel mills. Under iron ore's opaque price-setting system, the deal should dictate the global basis price for all mills, including those in China.
* May 27 - China rejects the price, after calls for a cut of 40-45 percent. Its move threatens to scupper the benchmark.
* June 5 - After months of scrutiny and shareholder pressure, Rio-Chinalco deal collapses. Rio says it will raise $21 billion through a rights issue and a joint venture with one-time suitor BHP Billiton. Chinalco expresses disappointment.
The collapse leaves China vulnerable to just two suppliers -- the Rio/BHP combination and Brazil's Vale -- which control 70 percent of global iron ore trade.
* June 30 - A deadline for setting annual iron ore prices passes with China and big miners deadlocked.
* July 8 - Four Shanghai-based Rio staff, including its top China-based iron ore salesman, the China-born Australian citizen Stern Hu, and three Chinese colleagues, are detained by Chinese authorities.
* Aug 12 - China formally arrests the four Rio Tinto employees on suspicion of violating commercial secrets and taking bribes. Rio denies unethical behaviour by its employees.
* Sept 4 - Rio Tinto says it is not in iron ore price talks with China but rejects a report it suspended talks because of the detention of its iron ore negotiators.
* Oct 24 - Leaders from China and Australia discuss the issue of Hu's detention without resolution.
* Oct 26 - Australia declares an end to diplomatic tensions with China despite differences over Hu's arrest and urges Beijing to stay calm if disagreements flare in the media.
* Oct 30 - Rio Tinto sees mending relations with China as a top priority. Chief Executive Officer Tom Albanese vows to personally ensure the relationship is restored.
* Nov 12 - China extends by two months its commercial espionage investigation into the Hu case.
* Dec 11 - Rio Tinto names a new chief iron ore negotiator as talks get underway over 2010 prices and volumes. At the same time China changes its lead negotiator for iron ore talks after the China Iron and Steel Association fails to reach a settlement with miners for 2009/10 contracts. ID:
Source: Reuters (Writing by Emma Graham-Harrison; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)