Xi, Obama have three-hour-long talk on ties in Blair House

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, exchanged views on governance, bilateral ties and other issues of common concern in a three-hour-long talk in the Blair House Thursday night.

Recalling their previous meetings in California of the United States and in Beijing, Xi said such in-depth communications help chart the course for and inject vigor into the development of China-U.S. relations.

Besides, Xi said that reform and opening up are basic state policies of China and fundamental driving forces for the country's future development.

"China will never close its door to the outside world," he said, pledging a more open, relaxed and transparent environment for foreign business to invest and operate in China.

Sticking to the path of peaceful development is a strategic choice China has made based on objective judgements of the past, the present and the future, Xi said, adding that his country will also unswervingly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.

Xi arrived in Washington earlier Thursday after a two-day stay in West Coast hub Seattle, continuing his first ever state visit to the United States. Endi