That's how somewhere like Cambodia plays this game. The Chinese nationals were present, from a judicial and international standpoint the arrests and charges are valid. The AP article is a good example of how this is a bad look and China is going to be interested in making any fanfare go away. Reputation is extremely important and when things go wrong the state is more interested in salvaging that than protecting a handful of nationals. That might mean scapegoating the four in custody and quietly railroading them and their companies. Another option is money/resources/assets exchanged to send them back to China. Usually when you're talking about dodgy international construction projects, the head honcho ordering all of the cut corners is smart enough to either never enter the country or they've got a quick exit plan. China can make a sideways project go away, any of their whales that have meaningful party relationships getting arrested internationally is something they couldn't manage without the world knowing. It wouldn't be the least bit surprising if the four in custody are just middle managers or limited qualified positions. Of course if you are a meaningful executive you'd probably want to try passing as a middle manager if you get brought into custody.