Rice on trade, N Korea

Ahead of the annual Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) between China and the US which begins today, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US views China's economic growth as "a good thing", but said Beijing needs to abide by global trade rules and respect intellectual property rights, the AFP reported. Separately, after North Korea agreed on Saturday to resume the nuclear disarmament talks, Rice, in her second trip to Beijing this year, said the resumption of the talks is "only a first step" according to the AP.