China, US should not let distractions derail ties: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Great Hall of the People in Beijng, capital of China, May 17, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and the United States should properly handle and control differences to protect the relationship's progress from being distracted, President Xi Jinping told US Secretary of State John Kerry in Beijing on Sunday.

The vast Pacific Ocean has enough space to accommodate the two big nations of China and the US, said Xi, urging both sides to work together, enhance communication and trust, and deepen cooperation.

Xi's remarks came as Beijing's made another call for increasing dialogue between the two countries during the top US diplomat's visit to China on Saturday and Sunday, amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.

During their separate meetings with Kerry on Saturday, both Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, stressed China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China's relationship with the US is stable, said Xi, adding he looks forward to continuing to develop this relationship with US President Barack Obama and to bring the ties to a new height along a track of a new model of major country relationship.

Kerry, during the meeting with Xi at the Great Hall of the People, highlighted the relationship's importance, saying both sides are able to handle and control differences in a mature manner.

He called for greater cooperation between the two countries, and said the extensive US-Sino cooperation has showed the world the important roles they have played in addressing major global and regional affairs.

Xi said he looks forward to having sincere and in-depth communication with Obama about the China-US relationship and major issues of common concern during his scheduled visit to the US in September.

In June, the seventh China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the sixth China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange will be held in the US.