China's relations with the United States remain stable, President Xi Jinping said on Sunday, as he sought to defuse tension over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea that has pitted Washington against Beijing.
"I look forward to continuing to develop this relationship with President Obama and to bring China-U.S. relations to a new height along a track of a new model of major country relationship," Mr. Xi told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Beijing.
On Saturday, Mr. Kerry urged China to take action to reduce tension in the South China Sea. His call was rebuffed by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who said Beijing's determination to protect its interests in the area is "as hard as a rock".
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Mr. Kerry's trip is intended to prepare for the annual U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in June in Washington and Mr. Xi's expected visit to Washington in September, a trip that Mr. Xi said he looked forward to.
Mr. Xi has repeatedly told Mr. Obama of his desire for a "new model of major country relationship," in which China would be viewed as an equal global player.
But the model also outlines a respect for "each other's sovereign and territorial integrity as well as political system and development path".
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"In my view the China-U.S. relationship has remained stable," Mr. Xi told Mr. Kerry.