Chinese President Xi Jinping crowns US state visit with deal on cyberespionage
'Significant progress' as presidents highlight cooperation on commercial espionage, law enforcement and information exchange
The leaders of China and the United States yesterday pledged to curb commercial cyberespionage as President Xi Jinping concluded a state visit that analysts said had made incremental progress in bolstering recently strained relations.
In what was possibly the final summit between the pair in a two-way setting - US President Barack Obama leaves office in 2017 - China sought to emphasize cooperation amid concerns the next administration may take a tougher stance against it.
Speaking after the summit - and an elaborate welcoming ceremony at the White House - the leaders sought to highlight areas where the nations could work together, but recognised that many differences remained.
Chinese state media reported that Obama reiterated at the summit that the US would not interfere in Hong Kong and did not support "independence" for Taiwan, Tibet or Xinjiang .
Even on the thorniest issue - that of the South China Sea - there was some progress. While Xi reiterated China had the right to uphold its territorial sovereignty, he also said it did "not intend to pursue militarisation" of the artificial islands it had built there.
Chinese officials have made similar pledges before. Even so, coming from Xi, the remarks surprised some observers.
