China’s Xi sounds positive note in meeting with US business leaders

Chinese President Xi Jinping met US business leaders in Beijing (Huang Jingwen/Xinhua via AP)

China’s nationalist leader Xi Jinping has called for closer trade ties with the US during a meeting with top American business leaders in Beijing amid a steady improvement in relations.

Mr Xi emphasised the mutually beneficial economic ties between the world’s two largest economies, despite heavy US tariffs on Chinese imports and Washington’s accusations of undue Communist Party influence, unfair trade barriers and theft of intellectual property.