The Chinese government interceded in General Motors' (GM) trademark dispute with state-owned Chery Automobile to ensure Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the US went smoothly.
Chery, based in Anhui province, makes a minicar called the QQ, which resembles GM's Chevrolet Spark. Chery denied it had infringed any trademarks.
China habitually smooths over political and trade issues before state visits by top leaders. Wen's US trip was his first since taking over as prime minister in early 2003.
GM's biggest Chinese partner, Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp (SAIC), sold its 20 percent stake in Chery to avoid getting too involved in the trademark dispute.