Max Baucus, U.S. Ambassador to China, (R) and Ray Conner, vice chairman of The Boeing Company and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, (L) wait to greet Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, September 22, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Discussing China's relations with the US, Xi said, "One should see the larger picture and not just focus on differences. ... Naturally, we have some differences－even family members don't always see eye to eye.

"As a Chinese saying tells us, 'When important things are addressed first, secondary issues will not be difficult to settle'. "

Referring to issues that cannot be resolved now, Xi said, "We should manage them in a constructive way, make sure that they are not exacerbated or escalated, and prevent them from derailing the overall relationship of the two countries and cooperation that has served our two peoples so well."

The president will stay in Seattle for two days before heading for Washington DC. In Seattle, he will visit Boeing, Microsoft and meet with business leaders and a group of US governors.

Agence France-Presse reported that Xi's stop in Washington state will shore up support from big business. The US state has already welcomed three Chinese leaders－Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.

Contact the writers through wujiao@chinadaily.com.cn