What is the connection between the Rio Tinto 'spy-gate' (as the mainland media are calling it) and the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China?
To many of us who see business as business, this question may sound ludicrous. To people living in the mainland, it is not.
Some background first. China consumes more than half of the world's iron ore. As the biggest buyer, mainland steel mills, however, have never been the price-setters.
Instead, like the much smaller buyers in Japan and South Korea, the country has always been the price accepter. During the past five years, the contract price of Australian iron ore has increased 260 per cent.
Given the financial crisis and the early correction in commodities prices, Beijing played hardball this time, asking for a cut of more than 40 per cent, while Japan and Korea settled for 33 per cent.
However, the signs are China may once again have to accept what is being offered, thanks to the collective negotiating system that is full of holes.