Susan Rice lays groundwork in Beijing for Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington

World Today

Susan Rice shakes hands with State Councillor Yang Jiechi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Sept. 8, 2014.

U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice held talks with senior Chinese officials in Beijing on Friday, in a visit that lay ground for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington next month.

Susan Rice when she was named U.S. National Security Advisor in 2013. (Charles Dharapak/AP)

Susan Rice when she was named U.S. National Security Advisor in 2013. (Charles Dharapak/AP)

After meeting with China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Rice said the two sides have been able to “discuss frankly our differences,” and over the last year have made progress “in areas ranging from climate change to the exchanges on tourists, to the military relationship, cooperation on Ebola.”

She said that both sides were looking forward to a successful summit.

Rice will meet Xi Jinping later on Friday at the Great Hall of the People. White House has said talks are expected to focus on how to build a more productive relationship between the two countries.

Xi will will meet with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in late September and address the United Nations Assembly in New York.

Story by CCTV News