DHAKA: Chinese President Xi Jinping reached Seattle at the start of his first state visit to the US.

The China premier Xi will spend three days meeting business and technology leaders in Seattle, before heading to Washington for talks with President Barack Obama, reports the BBC.

Cyber security is expected to feature prominently in their discussions, after the US said Chinese spying was putting a strain on bilateral relations.

On Monday, Xi denied there was any state-backed hacking of US companies.

In an article in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Xi said hacking and cyber espionage were illegal, and that the Chinese government did not engage in the theft of commercial secrets or encourage companies to do so.

But he said Beijing - which has previously complained it is a victim of hacking - was “ready to strengthen co-operation with the US side on this issue”.

US national security adviser Susan Rice had on Monday said Chinese-backed hacking was undermining long-term economic co-operation between the US and China “and it needs to stop”.

While in Seattle, Xi will hold talks with some of the most prominent US technology and business leaders, and will visit the vast Boeing aeroplane factory in Everett, Washington state.

BDST: 0840 HRS, SEP 23, 2015
SR