Chinese VP meets Walt Disney chairman

BEIJING - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met here Wednesday with Robert Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company, calling for enhanced Sino-US trade ties and cultural exchange.

Xi, who visited the United States in February, said the current Sino-US relations maintained a sound momentum of development in general and the booming trade ties benefited the two countries and peoples.

"However, some problems still exist in Sino-US economic ties," Xi said during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

He expressed the hope that the US side will bear in mind the general and long-term interests, properly handle economic and trade frictions, support two-way investment and avoid politicizing trade issues.

Xi stressed the importance of cultural ties in bilateral relations, saying he hopes the two sides will jointly promote cultural exchange.

The vice president praised Walt Disney's contribution to cultural exchange between China and the United States.

Iger said his company, which is developing its sixth Disneyland in Shanghai, values the Chinese market and will strive to develop Disney features with Chinese culture so as to strengthen bilateral cultural exchanges.