Xi meets Obama in Paris ahead of major UN climate conference

MANAGING DIFFERENCES

Still, some thorny issues split the two sides, but Xi and Obama expressed their willingness to manage the differences between their countries.

It's important, said Xi, that we manage our differences and the sensitive issues in a constructive way, adding the two countries need to work together to ensure a sustained, healthy and steady growth of their bilateral relations, maintain and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region and the world at large.

Xi said China and the United States should respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and properly manage differences through dialogue and negotiations.

On the Taiwan issue, Xi said maintaining peace and stability across the straits serves the interests of both China and the United States, and the Chinese side expects the US side to support the peaceful development of cross-straits relations through concrete action.

The two presidents also discussed the cyber issue. Xi said the two sides need to show sincerity and work together to achieve positive results in related talks. He said the Chinese side is willing to work with the international community, including the United States, to formulate relevant international rules and build a peaceful, secure and transparent cyber space.

Obama made a similar point, acknowledging the differences between the two countries while emphasizing the constructive tone of the discussions between the two.

"On issues like cyber security and maritime issues, I think President Xi and I have developed a candid way of discussing these issues," said Obama, adding that teams from both countries have found ways to work through these tensions in a constructive fashion.

"There is far more that the United Sates and China have in common than separates us," said Obama, adding that he will attend next year's G20 meeting in China, which "will give us some additional opportunity to work to strengthen the global economy and to deal with issues like sustainable development."