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Associated Press

President Xi Jinping makes his first state visit to the United States on Tuesday since becoming president in 2013.
Here we take a look at the six key issues that he and US President Barack Obama will face when they hold talks in Washington later this week.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Xi Jinping’s US visit: itinerary, issues and delegation
 
1. Cybersecurity

Hacking attacks on United States companies and government agencies have become a growing source of tension.
China is suspected over the theft of personal data of millions of current and former US government employees.
However, Washington’s main issue with China is over state-sponsored cybertheft for economic benefit of Chinese companies.
READ MORE: Xi Jinping and Barack Obama unlikely to crack thorniest issues during Washington summit
It said that the cybertheft went beyond traditional intelligence gathering.
Last May, US authorities issued criminal indictments against five Chinese military hackers accused of stealing from US corporations.
China responded by pulling the plug on a formal dialogue with the US on cyber issues.
The US said it was preparing further measures to punish industrial espionage, but it appears unlikely to act against China before the summit.
 
2. South China Sea

READ MORE: American military commander says US should challenge China’s claims in South China Sea; Beijing expresses concern
China has alarmed its neighbours with a massive campaign of building artificial islands to assert its claims to disputed reefs and islets in the South China Sea.
It has reclaimed about 1,210 hectares of land in the past 18 months by dredging sand from the ocean bed, which has caused environmental destruction.
While the US is not among the six territorial claimants in the South China Sea, it has been increasingly critical of China’s conduct, which it says stirs up tensions and threatens freedom of navigation in international waters key to global trade.

READ MORE: China needs third runway in Spratly Islands to break US grip in South China Sea if tensions escalate, experts say
American lawmakers have been pressing for the US Navy to flex military muscle by sailing close to the artificial islands to show that the US does not recognise China’s sovereignty claim.
China has said the US should mind its own business.
 
3. Climate change 

China and the US are the two largest source countries of the emissions that contribute to global warming and combating climate change has become a promising area of cooperation.
Last November, Obama and Xi made a joint announcement on curbing emissions, giving a nudge to world leaders ahead of a summit this December in Paris aimed at reaching a global climate change deal.
The US and China have announced joint research and American and Chinese cities are setting targets on cutting emissions.
 
4. Economy

READ MORE: Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend top-level business summit during visit to United States
With nearly US$600 billion in annual two-way trade, the US and China have a deep commercial and economic relationship – but one with tensions as the trade balance is heavily in China’s favour.
The US has long pressed China to adopt a more self-sustaining economic model driven by domestic demand rather than exports and investment and to allow more market access to American companies.
China has moved cautiously on market-oriented reforms.
The changes it has made have contributed to an economic slowdown, and a multibillion-dollar intervention by China to stop a slide in stock prices raised questions over its economic stewardship and upset world markets.
A drop in the exchange rate of China’s currency, the yuan, also revived concerns that China may try to push down the value of the yuan against the dollar, helping Chinese exporters.
 
5. Human rights

Read More: 'President Obama most likely would be in prison': China rights record slammed in US ahead of Xi Jinping's state visit
Under Xi, China has launched its toughest crackdown in years on its civil society activists.
This is part of a wider move to prevent Western-style freedoms in China’s increasingly prosperous and connected society.
The government has also tightened controls on religious minorities in Tibet and the far western region of Xinjiang, and against Christians.
The Obama administration has been outspoken about this deterioration of human rights in China and said last month that improvements were needed for a positive summit.
However, typically human rights are eclipsed by other weighty issues on the US-China agenda.
 
6. North Korea 

North Korea recently announced the restart of atomic fuel plants that supply its nuclear weapons programme.
It has signalled it could mark an October 10 anniversary of its ruling party with a satellite launch.
Such activities have strained the North’s traditionally strong ties with China and put Washington and Beijing in closer alignment over the need to contain Pyongyang.
The US and Chinese leaders could discuss how to respond to another North Korean provocation.
However, they have differed on how to get Pyongyang to change its ways.
The US wants China to use its economic leverage; China wants the US to resume long-stalled negotiations.


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US President Barack Obama (left) and President Xi Jinping, pictured in Beijing last December, will hold talks. Photo: AP

US President Barack Obama (left) and President Xi Jinping, pictured in Beijing last December, will hold talks File photo: AP

People hold up photos of alleged victims of persecution during a protest in front of the White House last week before the state visit of China's President Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP

Admiral Harry Harris (above), the commander of US forces in the Pacific, says the America should challenge China’s claim to territory in the South China Sea by patrolling close to artificial islands built by Beijing. Photo: EPA

Satellite images appear to show that China has started preparatory work on a third airstrip obn the Spratly Islands. Photo: Reuters

Tim Cook of Apple (above) will be among the US chief executives taking part in a round-table discussion with President Xi Jinping in Seattle on Wednesday. Photo: TNS

Images released by the FBI Sunday show five Chinese military officers charged with stealing trade secrets from U.S. companies. They are alleged to work with a shadowy Chinese military hacking unit. Photo: AFP

North Korean nuclear plant in Yongbyon. Photo: Reuters

Xi Jinping and Barack Obama unlikely to crack thorniest issues during Washington summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch in Beijing. Murdoch pledged his media outlets would offer full coverage to Xi's trip to the US. Photo: Reuters

President Obama is facing pressure to address concerns over China's alleged cyberespionage. Photo: TNS

President Xi Jinping’s trip to US city of Seattle highlights Washington state’s China ties

President Xi Jinping, who arrives in Seattle on Tuesday, visited the United States in 2012 (above) when he was vice-president. File photo: AP

Boeing 777 aircraft models are photographed at last Thursday's Beijing International Aviation Expo. One-quarter of the planes Boeing has built have gone to China, and over the next 20 years, the mainland is expected to be Boeing’s biggest commercial airplane market. Photo: AFP

Jack Ma, founder and chairman of the mainland e-commerce company, Alibaba, will take part in Wednesday's round-table discussion involving President Xi Jinping and US and Chinese chief executives in Seattle. Photo: Sam Tsang

Behind fairytale press, Chinese President Xi Jinping faces Goldilocks problem in America

Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre), Director of China International Economic Exchange Centre Zeng Peiyan (left) and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet US business leaders  at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: AFP

People hold up photos of alleged victims of persecution during a protest in front of the White House ahead of the upcoming state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP

President Barack Obama. President Xi Jinping's visit to the US has been complicated by the presidential primaries. Photo: TNS

American military commander says US should challenge China’s claims in South China Sea; Beijing expresses concern

Admiral Harry Harris, commander of US forces in the Pacific, pictured during a trip to the Philippines last month. Photo: EPA

Satellite images suggest that China is preparing to build a third runway in disputed areas of the South China Sea at Mischief Reef, according to a US think tank. Photo: Reuters

China needs third runway in Spratly Islands to break US grip in South China Sea if tensions escalate, experts say

China appears to be preparing for a runway on Mischief Reef. Photo: Reuters 

Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, greets Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prior to their talks in Tokyo on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo

In this February 25, 2014 file photo taken by surveillance planes, a Chinese vessel is being used to expand structures and land on Johnson Reef, called Mabini by the Philippines and Chigua by China, at the Spratly Islands. Photo: AP

News

China

Diplomacy

President Xi Jinping makes his first state visit to the United States on Tuesday since becoming president in 2013. Here we take a look at the six key issues that he and US President Barack Obama will face when they hold talks in Washington later this week.
