Obama, Chinese leader talk Syria, NKorea, cyber

[September 06, 2013]  ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) -- The White House says a meeting between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) covered hot-button topics like Syria, North Korea and cybersecurity.

Obama and Xi met Friday in St. Petersburg. As the meeting started, Obama said there will continue to be disagreements, but tensions can be managed.

White House spokesman Ben Rhodes says Obama addressed concerns about cyber threats emanating from China. He says Obama told Xi the U.S. sees it not through the prism of security but out of concern over theft of trade secrets.

Rhodes says Obama and Xi also discussed North Korea's nuclear program, plus territorial disputes over the Senkaku Islands.

China and the U.S. also announced they're moving ahead with efforts to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, powerful greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

[Associated Press]

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