Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to work with the US to tackle global issues by focusing on common interests rather than differences as he embarked on a highly-anticipated visit to the US on Tuesday.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published the same day, Xi answered various questions, ranging from South China Sea disputes, cyber espionage and China's military to the country's stock market performance.

The candid response to all sensitive questions reflects the significance China attaches to the visit and the country's confidence to tackle difficult challenges, said analysts.

"Facts have shown that the interests of China and the US have grown increasingly intertwined. The growth of China-US relationship has not only benefited the two peoples, but also enhanced peace, stability, and development in the Asia-Pacific and beyond," Xi told the WSJ, ahead of his first stop in Seattle, Washington state, where he will deliver a major policy speech.

The president added in his written reply that the Asia-Pacific region should become a cooperative ground for enhanced China-US coordination and collaboration rather than their coliseum for supremacy.

US national security adviser Susan Rice on Monday also said that the US-China relationship is not a zero-sum game, as the US is "steadily and methodically expanding the breadth and depth of cooperation with China."

"Both countries are aware that the two share more common interests and the Sino-US relationship has transcended the scope of a bilateral relationship to wield tremendous global influence," Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

Intense back-and-forth

Xi is scheduled to visit Boeing's factory in Everett, Washington state on Wednesday and then attend the US-China Internet Industry Forum in Redmond with Lu Wei, minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China.

The forum will also be attended by guests including executives from Internet giant companies from both countries.

On Thursday and Friday, Xi will visit the White House and meet with US President Barack Obama, followed by a meeting with congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. He will then go to New York to attend a series of summits to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

The two presidents are expected to have an intense back-and-forth on several issues, including the South China Sea and cyber security, all of which Xi addressed in the interview.

Xi told the WSJ that "the Chinese government does not engage in theft of commercial secrets in any form, nor does it encourage or support Chinese companies to engage in such practices in any way."

He also reiterated that the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea have been China's territory since ancient times and the development and maintenance of facilities does not impact on or target any other country.

"China is taking a more confident and open attitude to deal with problems with the US in order to improve relations," Su Ge, president of the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

Xi also vowed that China will stay strongly committed to deepening its reform, while continuing to attract foreign investment and protect foreign firms' lawful rights and interests. The country will also work to provide better services in favor of foreign investment, Xi said.

In her Monday speech, Rice urged China to stop State-sponsored cyber espionage, calling it a national security concern and a critical factor in US-China relations.

Wang Guoxiang, an associate professor at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the different administrative systems and mentality both led to divided opinions on cyber security, but a nominal agreement can be expected for the two countries to define their positions, such as opposition to hacking.

Global governance

The Chinese president also called on the US to work with China to improve the global governance system, while dismissing suspicions that China is trying to "rearrange the architecture of global governance toward itself."

"This will not only leverage our respective strengths to enhance cooperation, but also enable our two countries to jointly respond to major challenges facing mankind," Xi said. 

The US should realize that China has grown stronger. The US should be more confident and act magnanimously to encourage China to play a more active role and share more responsibilities in regional and international issues, Zhang Tuosheng, a senior research fellow with the China Foundation for International Strategic Studies, told news site guancha.cn.

"The world is increasingly in need of a cooperative Sino-US relationship to solve those challenges, including climate change, which is more likely to reach consensus during the visit," said Sun Chenghao, an assistant research fellow at the Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.