Xi Jinping tells John Kerry he wants ‘dialogue’ with US

President Xi Jinping told the top US diplomat that China was committed to enhancing dialogue and mutual trust with Washington despite growing tensions between Beijing and security allies of the United States.

In his talks with John Kerry, who is making his fifth Asia trip as US secretary of state, Xi struck a conciliatory tone, amid Washington's open opposition to China's declaration of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea.

Xi told Kerry to tell US President Barack Obama that "China is firmly committed to building a new model of the China-US relationship together with the US side", Xinhua reported.

"We will continue to enhance dialogue, boost mutual trust and co-operation and properly handle differences in the new year so as to forge ahead with the lasting and healthy development of ties," Xi said.

Kerry, arriving in Beijing from Seoul, had a tough diplomatic mission. On one hand he was trying to prod Beijing to bring North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks, but he also wants China to scale down its assertiveness over territorial disputes with its neighbours, particularly Japan and the Philippines.

But he was also upbeat after meetings with his hosts, saying the talks were constructive and the "tone was excellent". "There were some differences, but they're managed and handled, exactly as it should be," he said.