China's Xi to meet Obama on 4-day US visit

Albuquerque Express Tuesday 14th February, 2012

WASHINGTON - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is likely to succeed President Hu Jintao as Communist Party leader this year, arrived in the US on a four-day highly-anticipated and publicised visit.

Xi, who is also set to take over as president next year, is to meet President Barack Obama Tuesday at the White House.

US Ambassador to China Gary Locke, after greeting Xi on his arrival Monday, said: "This will be an opportunity for the leaders of both countries to really sit down and talk about our differences."

Xi, 58, will be meeting Vice President Joe Biden, who had gone to China in August.

The Chinese leader will also be meeting Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

On table are a host of issues, especially North Korea, Iran and Syria. China along with Russia had last week vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a peace package on Syria, a move that strained ties with the United States.

Xi's visit comes even as top Chinese leader State Councillor Dai Bingguo spoke with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on phone.

The two held "frank and in-depth" talks on Syria, China's state run news agency Xinhua reported.

According to Xinhua, Dai told Clinton that the violence in Syria was "essentially its internal affair" and Beijing supported the efforts of the Arab League to resolve the conflict within the country through political means.

He added that China's position on Syria had been "objective and fair and its attitude was responsible", the report said.

Clinton had described the Russian and Chinese veto of the UN Security Council resolution as a "travesty" and said the United States would continue to discuss Syria with China.