The US and China agree to halt cyberattacks for commercial purposes.

US President Barack Obama (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Source: THX/VNA)

During the talks, the two leaders discussed a range of issues, reaching agreement on continuing efforts to combat climate change and halting cyberattacks for commercial purposes. However, disagreements remained on several issues, including territorial disputes and human rights.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the talks, US President Barack Obama said the two countries had reached a common agreement on cyber programs related to commercial purposes.

President Obama said: "I believe that commercial cyberattack programs must end immediately. This is a very serious concern for American citizens and companies. Today, I can announce that the United States and China have reached a mutual agreement to end these programs. We agree that neither the United States nor China will conduct or tacitly support cyberattack programs aimed at gaining intellectual property, confidential commercial documents, or business information from one another. We will work with other nations to promote international rules on such programs in cyberspace.”

For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping also confirmed the agreement, stating that the relevant authorities of both countries had reached important consensus on jointly combating cybercrime.

Regarding climate change, the two countries also reached a common agreement, emphasizing a shared vision and new implementation steps based on the groundbreaking joint communiqué issued last year, when both countries set targets to stop or reduce emissions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will establish a $3.1 billion fund to support developing countries in addressing climate change-related issues.

Also at the joint press conference, President Obama said he had proposed to China that the territorial disputes be resolved through international law. Obama stated that a resolution is needed between the countries claiming sovereignty in the South China Sea or the East China Sea, and although the US is not a party to the disputes in these two seas, Washington hopes that all parties will respect international rules and laws.

Regarding the economic sector, Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed that the country's economy will return to growth in the future. Addressing international concerns about China's recent lackluster economic figures, President Xi Jinping acknowledged the pressure from slowing economic growth but declared that the economy is developing in a new direction and will soon return to growth, thereby regaining the confidence of investors and partners worldwide.

Also at the joint press conference at the White House, US President Barack Obama strongly criticized China's human rights record.

The U.S. President said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a “frank exchange” on the issue and that he had “reaffirmed America’s consistent support for human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all people, including freedom of assembly and expression, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.”

For his part, Xi Jinping said Beijing is concerned about human rights issues, but stressed that reforms will need a roadmap. He said: “Democracy and human rights are the common pursuits of humanity. At the same time, we must acknowledge that countries have different historical processes and realities, so we need to respect the people of all countries' right to choose their own independent path of development.”

According to Vietnam+