By CHARLES HUTZLER

Chinese police have detained an American automotive engineer for more than a year on accusations he misused trade secrets -- the latest case of vague secrecy laws being used against an American in China.

Hu Zhicheng, a prize-winning designer of industrial catalysts to control auto emissions, has had letters from his family censored and has been denied reading materials during his detention in the port city of Tianjin, said the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

The stern treatment is being meted out in a business dispute over an automobile technology. Hu told U.S. officials that investigators have threatened him with multimillion-dollar fines unless he gives the rights to his U.S.

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