Xi Jinping praises Barack Obama's efforts to build US-China ties

Obama thanked Xi Jinping and appreciated China's development achievements

Chinese President Xi Jinping today met his former US counterpart Barack Obama amid the escalating tensions after North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile capable of hitting anywhere in America.

In his talks with Obama, Xi stressed that China and the US had an important responsibility to safeguard world peace and stability, as well as boost global development and prosperity.

Xi briefed Obama on the major outcomes of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held last month.

The CPC endorsed a second five-year term for Xi and amended its constitution to add the 64-year-old leader's name and ideology, elevating him on a par with party founder Mao Zedong and his successor Deng Xiaoping.

They called for enhanced communication, exchanges and cooperation between China and the US. Xi made a positive appraisal of Obama's efforts in promoting China-US relations during his presidency, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

A long-term, stable and healthy development of Sino-US ties accords with the interests of both nations and the world, Xi said.

China is ready to work with the US to strengthen communication, exchanges and cooperation, so as to push for new development of bilateral relations, he said.

Obama, who is currently on a visit to China, India and France, thanked Xi and appreciated China's development achievements, the report said.

Earlier, Xi held telephonic talks with US President Donald Trump and discussed the situation arising from North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) yesterday which splashed down in the Sea of Japan, shattering a two-month calm in Northeast Asia.

Trump spoke to Xi yesterday, urging him to use "all available levers" to convince North Korea to end its provocations and return to the path of denuclearisation.

China is North Korea's only major ally and biggest trading partner.

In response to Trump's demands, Beijing has backed increasingly tough UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea to convince it to return to talks.

The official Korean Central News Agency said yesterday that Kim, who personally signed off on the launch, "declared with pride that now we have finally realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force, the cause of building a rocket power".