CRI听力:China, US Ties Should Not Be Derailed by Distractions: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that China and the United States should properly handle and control their differences to protect their relationship and to make sure its progress is not derailed by distractions.

He met with the US Secretary of State in Beijing on Sunday.

The president's remarks come as Beijing makes another call to enhance dialogue between the two countries amid lingering tensions in the South China Sea.

President Xi reiterates the Pacific Ocean had enough space to accommodate the interests of both nations. He has urged both sides to work closely to enhance communication and trust, and deepen cooperation.

For his part, John Kerry stressed on the importance of US China relations, highlighting recent successes in pushing forward common interests.

This includes the recent Sino-US agreement on combating Climate Change, signed during President Obama's visit to Beijing last November, and progress made at the Iran nuclear talks.
Kerry also expected Beijing to play a key role in bringing North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks.

The discussion also focused on laying the groundwork for President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the US in September.

Xi Jinping said he was looks forward to a "candid and in-depth" exchange with US President Barack Obama.

Kerry also focused on the upcoming round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which will take place in Washington in June.

The two countries will also hold the sixth China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange later this year.

In his talks with John Kerry, Xi Jinping said that China was committed to developing a "new model for the China US relations."

This comes despite recent tensions between the countries. Washington has expressed concerns over China's declaration of an air defense identification zone in the East China Sea.

Earlier Kerry said that the United States was alarmed by the pace and the scope of China's reclamation operation in the South China Sea when he met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday.

However, Wang Yi says that China's infrastructure improvements on the Nansha Islands are an internal affair connected to its own territorial sovereignty.

China has expressed concerns about a possible U.S. plan to send military aircraft and ships to the South China Sea in a so-called effort to assert freedom of navigation.

The Chinese Foreign Minister called on Washington to respect China's sovereignty and not take sides in maritime disputes.

Kerry has arrived in South Korea this afternoon to continue his Asia trip.

For CRI I'm Poornima Weerasekara.