Australia has told China it must deal promptly with the case of Australian Stern Hu as pressure mounts for ministerial intervention on behalf of the Rio Tinto executive who is accused of spying.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade again called acting Chinese ambassador Zuozhang Liu in yesterday, pressing for further detail about the circumstances of Mr Hu's detention.
Mr Hu is accused of espionage and stealing state secrets.
''[The department reiterated] Australia's view that [Mr Hu's] case should be handled expeditiously,'' Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said in a statement. ''This is the third time that DFAT has spoken to the acting ambassador since last Monday.
''Australian officials will make the same points in Beijing.''
China has largely ignored Australia's demands and the Opposition is ramping up calls for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd or Mr Smith to be personally involved in the case.
So far the Prime Minister has kept the issue at arms-length but he has said it would be raised at a political level when appropriate.
Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said the Government was taking a cautious and considered approach.
''The Government's taking an appropriate stand in dealing with the problem of Stern Hu and making sure that all avenues are pursued in an appropriate way,'' he said.
''We don't wish to play these moves out in public and it's ultimately a decision for the Government as to what point and whether the Prime Minister speaks directly to his counterpart.
''But the Government is taking this issue on its merits in order to ensure that it maximises the prospects of a good outcome for the person concerned.''
Mr Hu was detained on July 5 and had to wait nearly a week before being allowed to see consular officials last Friday. He will now have to wait a month before he is allowed to see Australian diplomats again.
The pressure on Mr Rudd, whose relationship with China has been a key feature of his prime ministership, is likely to grow after reports from Beijing that Chinese President Hu Jintao personally approved the probe that led to Mr Hu's detention.
Opposition foreign spokesman Julie Bishop said the Government had to stop ''pussy-footing'' around and raise the matter directly with China.
''If reports ... are accurate and the President of China was involved in Mr Hu's arrest and detention then this is clearly a matter that must be raised directly with the President of China,'' she said. ''The longer the Government procrastinates, the longer Mr Hu is in detention without access to his family, his employer or any legal representation.''
Wing Thye Woo, of Brookings Institution in Washington, said Australia shouldn't take China's lack of communication as a snub.
''[In] the last few cases of Americans who were detained, it was quite a while before consular officials could get in touch,'' he said.
He believes China has a lot to lose if the issue is not handled correctly.
''If the final charge is spying on the state that will certainly open a whole new dimension, which would cause China's image to be damaged greatly and would certainly reduce foreign firms' investment in China.'' AAP