China-US relations received a shot in the arm during a recent meeting between President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping at the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.

According to Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the meeting between the two world leaders will help alleviate tensions brought about by the thorny South China issue, China Daily reported.

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Wang noted that Obama and Xi's meeting has been closely followed by international observers who feel that current Sino-US ties leave much to be desired.

"The Americans have said that they will not take sides (in the South China Sea issue), so it should not be a problem for the China-US relationship," Wang explained.

The foreign minister noted that the dialogue between Xi and Obama should re-assure the international diplomatic community of the two nation's desire to maintain peace and stability in the region.

He added that historical issues involving China and the US' allies should not in any way affect China-US relations.  

The two heads of state likewise agreed to increase cooperation between their countries, and effectively manage differences of opinion to expand common interests.

The 90-minute meeting provided Xi and Obama an opportunity to discuss a range of pressing issues, which included economic policies, cooperation on nuclear security, maritime concerns and the stability of the Korean Peninsula.

Xi and Obama's tete-a-tete was the only bilateral meeting arranged by the US president's team during the summit, which observers view as a way of deepening China-US relations.

The Chinese president underscored the meeting's importance, saying that despite their countries' differing views on certain issues, there should be respect for each other's opinions and things should be settled through dialogue.

For instance, climate change has been a thorn on the side of Sino-US ties, but the two nations are now working hand in hand to address this critical issue.

And as a testament to stronger China-US relations, two of the world's leading nuclear powers issued a joint statement declaring their cooperation on nuclear security. 

Tagschina, US, US-China relations, Xi Jinping, Barack Obama