REGIONAL ISSUES
Talking about the Korean Peninsula issue, Xi stressed that all parties concerned should fully and strictly carry out UN resolutions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Pyongyang started off a new year with the testing of what it claimed was its first hydrogen bomb in January and followed up with the launch of a string of short- and medium-range projectiles.
Xi called on all parties concerned to refrain from any rhetoric and act that could escalate regional tension and any move that might impair the security interests of other countries and the strategic balance in the region.
Although the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is not on the NSS agenda, the recent flare-up of tension in Northeast Asia in the wake of the nuclear test and satellite launch by the DPRK has caused widespread concern.
Xi told Obama that his country is adamant on realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, on safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula, and on solving relevant issues through dialogue and negotiations as well.
Addressing the South China Sea issue, Xi vowed that his country will not accept any act under the disguise of freedom of navigation that violates its sovereignty and damages its security interests.
Xi reaffirmed that Beijing respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight other countries are entitled to under international law in the area, one of the world's busiest waterways.
China, he stressed, is resolute both in defending its sovereignty and related rights in South China Sea and in safeguarding peace and stability in the region, and sticks to the principle that the disputes should be settled in a peaceful way by relevant claimants through direct consultations and negotiations.
Beijing hopes that the United States will abide by its commitment to not taking sides on the sovereignty and territorial rows in South China Sea and play a constructive role in maintaining regional peace and stability, said the Chinese president.
Xi also urged the United States to stick to the one-China policy. Reaffirming China's stance on the Taiwan issue, Xi demanded that the U.S. side continue taking concrete moves to help maintain the peaceful development of the relationship across the Taiwan Strait, which he said will also benefit the China-U.S. relationship in the long run.
COORDINATION, COOPERATION
On his part, Obama reiterated that his country welcomes the rise of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous China. He said that the two countries share extensive common interests in the Asia Pacific and the United States stands ready to control differences with the Chinese side in a constructive way.
Obama voiced his support for the uphill efforts of the world's second largest economy to stage the economic transformation including its supply-side structural reform which was proposed by China's policymakers as the latest remedy for economic ills.
The two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in a host of areas including economy and trade, military, people-to-people exchanges, law enforcement and cyber-security and enhance coordination and cooperation in a slew of international and regional issues related to Iran and Afghanistan and on peacekeeping and development.
In a joint presidential statement issued by the two countries on Thursday, they said that they will sign the Paris Agreement on April 22, months after the historic pact on climate change was adopted during the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) in France.
The two leaders have also agreed to issue a joint statement on nuclear security cooperation and work to make the fourth NSS a success.
