WASHINGTON
U.S. concerns about China's cyber activities and Beijing’s actions in the Pacific highlighted President Barack Obama's Wednesday meeting with top Chinese officials.
Obama met with a Chinese delegation at the White House that included Vice Premier Wang Yang, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, China’s special representatives to the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue and Consultation on People-to-People Exchange.
"The president raised ongoing U.S. concerns about China’s cyber and maritime behavior, and he urged China to take concrete steps to lower tensions," according to a White House readout of the meeting.
Obama's comments come on the heels of revelations last week that Chinese hackers may have breached the data of millions of current and former U.S. federal government employees.
Despite relatively good economic relations and cooperation between the two countries in areas such as climate change, Chinese hackers have been repeatedly fingered as being responsible for cyberattacks on U.S. government institutions and there is grown tension about China's unilateral actions at island-building in the South China Sea. The U.S. have responded by increasing military exercises in the area of the Spratly Islands.
Obama noted the importance of annual ministerial-level meetings for "expanding cooperation on regional and global challenges and while at the same time narrowing differences.
"The president affirmed that he looks forward to welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House for a state visit in September," the statement read.
