HONG Kong journalist Xi Yang's secret trial and stiff 12-year sentence have worried local financial professionals who are increasingly exposed to classified documents in China.
Industry sources say foreign professionals in China are increasingly vulnerable to accusations that they have leaked state economic secrets, given their frequent trips to China and the need to deal with classified documents.
These people include lawyers, accountants, and China researchers who are involved in H-share flotations.
''The way the Chinese authorities treated Xi Yang's case was very frustrating. It has also raised questions about whether some guidelines are needed to protect oneself against unknowingly trespassing on Chinese law,'' said one partner at a major law firm based in Hong Kong.
He said he used to bring the documents back to Hong Kong for further reading. But now he prefers to read them in China or simply ask local lawyers to deal with the documents.
But another partner at an accounting firm which deals with H-share listings said asking mainland lawyers to endorse ''sensitive documents'' could be inefficient and time-consuming.
A stocks analyst covering China said he needed to ask Chinese officials about various macro-economic policies.