Leaders of China and the United States have agreed that the two nations should work jointly to boost strategic mutual trust, said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai Tuesday.

Speaking at a media briefing about Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's ongoing visit, Cui said leaders from both sides have stressed continued efforts in their strive to build a cooperative partnership of mutual benefit and mutual respect.

Cui expressed his disagreement to the view that a rising power is destined to engage in conflicts with the dominant power, saying that relations between major global players are not a zero-sum game.

There is broad cooperation between China and the United States, and competitions do exist in certain areas, Cui said.

As long as the competitions are healthy, they could benefit parties concerned, he added.

He said both countries should work jointly to expand common interests and properly handle differences and sensitive issues, so as to keep the China-U.S. ties on a steady and healthy track.

Xi arrived?in Washington?on Monday for a five-day visit to the United States.