Senior US officials said that the Obama administration will be upfront with China on cybersecurity and maritime issues.

The officials said that the two countries will promote "shared interests" in denuclearization of North Korea and take important measures to prevent the destabilization of the Korean Peninsula.

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President Barack Obama will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders at the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit on Thursday. The leaders' summit will be held from March 31 to April 1

Differences

"Our engagement has also allowed us to address differences in a very candid and constructive way. We don't paper over these differences. We don't hide them," said White House Senior Director for Asian Affairs Dan Kritenbrink.

Reports said that the US-China leaders' meeting will not only tackle North Korea's nuclear threat but US officials will also raise concerns on maritime and cyber security issues with Beijing which has been dogged by hacking accusations.

The US has been pressuring China to do more in its sanctions against Pyongyang to halt its nuclear program.

UN Resolution

A US Security Council resolution adopted new sanctions earlier this month against North Korea, putting China on the spot considering 90 percent of Pyongyang trade either goes to or through Beijing

Senior White House officials said cooperation between Washington and Beijing on the implementation of the newer and stronger UN resolution has been "very, very good" so far.

"China joins with us in a very strong and intensive focus on ensuring good, solid implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolution, which, as many of you know, places strong constraints on North Korea's ability to continue to conduct commerce across its borders, whether by sea, air or land," said Undersecretary of State Rose Gottemoeller on Wednesday.

Freedom of navigation

Although the US has no claims in the South China Sea, it has been firm in maintaining the principles of freedom of navigation and the non-militarization of disputed islands.

It has also been pushing for a peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.

Reports said China has been ignoring competing claims of the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam to the South China Sea as it continues to reclaim and build artificial islands which the US said could be turned into military facilities. 

Tags4th Nuclear Security Summit, President Barack Obama, President Xi Jinping, china, South China Sea, cybersecurity issues, Freedom of Navigation, North Korea, Korean peninsula, artificial islands