Obama, Xi discuss Paris climate talks over the phone

World Today

In this file photo, Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping arrive for their joint new conference, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The presidents of the U.S. and China spoke on the phone Friday (Thursday night in Washington, D.C.) to coordinate efforts on the Paris climate conference, China-U.S. relations, and other major international issues of common concern.

Both leaders agreed that the Paris conference presents a crucial opportunity to galvanize global efforts to meet the climate change challenge.  They committed that their negotiating teams in Paris would continue to work closely together and with others to realize the vision of an ambitious climate agreement.

Xi said that sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-U.S. relations meets the common interests of the two countries. 

He also expressed the hope that the U.S. side will work with the Chinese side to promote practical exchange and cooperation in various fields, and manage differences and sensitive issues in a constructive way, to ensure that China-U.S. relations will develop toward the right direction of building a new model of major-country relationship, Xi told Obama.

Obama said that he was very glad to have a successful meeting with Xi in Paris not long ago.

The two sides often keep coordination on major international and regional issues, which is of important and positive significance to the development of U.S.-China relations, Obama said.

As all parties at the Paris climate conference are having intensive discussion in a bid to build consensus on eventual reaching of positive and strong agreement, the U.S. side is willing to maintain close coordination with China to promote achievement of success at the Paris climate conference, Obama told Xi.

Compiled from Xinhua and White House press reports.