China's President Xi Jinping speaks during the joint opening ceremony of the 8th round of US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogues and the 7th round of US-China High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, in Beijing June 6, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Monday attended an opening ceremony of a China-US high-level dialogue, calling on the two nations to properly manage differences and sensitive issues.

Differences between China and the United States are quite normal, Xi told the joint opening ceremony of the eighth China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) and the seventh China-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Beijing.

So long as the two sides tackle differences and sensitive issues in the principle of mutual respect and equality, the bilateral relations can avoid major disturbance, Xi said, adding that China and the United States should strengthen communication and cooperation on Asia-Pacific affairs.

The broad Pacific Ocean, Xi said, should not become an arena for rivalry, but a big platform for inclusive cooperation.