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Obama, China’s Xi agree to curb economic cyberspying

In addition to the agreement to stop theft of trade secrets, China and the US will also create two related working groups: “one panel of experts who will hold “further discussions” on the cyber topic”, and “a high-level” group focused on how to fight cyber crime, the White House said in a statement that provided more details.

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“Confrontation and friction are not the right choice for both sides”, Xi said, speaking through an interpreter.

“I raised, once again, our rising concerns about growing cyber threats to American companies and American citizens”.

In this September 25, 2015, photo, President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, first lady Michelle Obama and Jinping’s wife Peng Liyuan descend the Grand Staircase as they arrive for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington.

“We are hopeful the understanding reached by the president and Chinese President Xi Jinping results in real progress on the ground”, he said. “There will be times when there are differences between our two countries”.

The dinner marked the midpoint of a daunting trifecta for a White House team led by new social secretary Deesha Dyer.

Obama and Xi did herald progress on climate change, one of the few areas of bilateral cooperation that has proceeded smoothly in recent months, largely because Beijing has struggled to contain heavy air, water and soil pollution that has destroyed farmland, sent cancer rates soaring and left its cities cloaked in dense smog.

“We must recognise that countries have different historical processes and realities, that we need to respect people of all countries in the rights to choose their own development path independently”, he said.

But he added warily: “The question now is, are words followed by actions?” and made clear he is prepared to levy sanctions against cybercriminals. Despite mounting reports of cyberattacks on US entities being linked to China, the nation has repeatedly denied involvement in such hacks.

The world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases will also launch a national carbon trading programme in 2017 to support emission reductions in industries ranging from power generation to iron and steel, chemicals, cement, paper-making and non-ferrous metals.

But disagreements on other issues loomed.

However, the name depicts that the area is the part of China but actually it’s not – at least not according to the United States. For Obama, the deal with China strengthens his hand ahead of a global summit on climate change in Paris in December.

On a more conciliatory note, Obama reiterated that the United States welcomes the rise of a China that is “stable, prosperous and peaceful”.

But it could also have some fallout at home as China’s economic growth continues to slow.

“Islands in the South China Sea, since ancient times, are China’s territory”, Xi declared.

Calls for Obama to take a harder line with China have echoed from Congress to the 2016 Republican presidential campaign. The group included young Chinese studying in the USA and members of Chinese-American associations. Guests dined on wild mushroom soup, poached Maine lobster, grilled cannon of Colorado lamb and poppyseed bread and butter pudding.

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Along the way, President Xi met with United States business leaders to discuss China’s willingness to cooperate with U.S. companies to improve intellectual property protection and other investment related issues.

Chinese Muslims perform morning prayers on the street near a mosque in Shanghai on Sept. 24. The Communist Party has moved to solidify its control over religions with new regulations managing relations with different faiths