Yes, there are risks in China - get used to it

A strong title perhaps, but appropriate in light of recent circumstances. It's an undeniable fact that when a non-Chinese national employed by a foreign company is detained in China, it makes headlines. After Stern Hu of Rio Tinto was first held, newspapers became full of Reminders For Foreign Businesses, Warnings For Investors, and Stark Lessons About China's Legal System.

But mainland China's criminal penalties for trade secret offences are no secret, and are nothing new. To quote one contributor to CLP, writing in 2006: “Since 1997, the PRC Criminal Code has provided criminal sanctions for any serious trade secret offence that causes 'material losses' to the owner of the trade secret.”