German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in China and urged officials there to put pressure on Iran to be more “open and transparent.”

Merkel met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to discuss efforts to place new sanctions on Iran for Tehran’s failure to comply with international calls for Iran to be more forthcoming about its nuclear program, which Iran insists is for civilian power but many Western governments suspect is aimed at developing nuclear weapons.

China has been reluctant to back calls from mainly Western governments to place new restrictions on Iran, including a suspension of Iranian-oil purchases.

China is one of the biggest purchasers of Iran’s oil.

During her three-day visit to China, Merkel is also expected to discuss Syria and the eurozone crisis.

The German chancellor is accompanied by a large business delegation.

Source : RFE/RL