Merkel tells China to respect int'l trade rules

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday urged China to respect the rules of international trade and development, as Premier Wen Jiabao insisted the rising Asian giant was no threat.
In her first official meeting of a three-day trip to China, Merkel discussed with Wen ways to improve trade ties between the world's third and fourth biggest economies, but she also raised some contentious issues.
"In our talks, I made clear that every country has the right to development," Merkel told a joint press conference after one hour of talks with Wen.
"But at present there are a great many large countries such as China that are developing fast and there is a need to respect the rules of the game."
Merkel said her talks with Wen covered issues such as intellectual property rights and product quality, areas where China has been accused of cutting corners.
China is routinely singled out as one of the world's worst offenders of intellectual property rights.