Xi upbeat about US relations

Countries should handle points of friction constructively, president says

China and the United States should handle unresolved disputes in a constructive manner to avoid misunderstandings and escalation in conflicts, President Xi Jinping told US President Barack Obama on Thursday.

China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea and will not accept any activities excusing, in the name of free navigation, behavior that could harm its national sovereignty, Xi said.