Biden's trip, which began in Japan and ends in South Korea, follows a furore over Beijing's declaration of an "air defence identification zone" (ADIZ) covering the East China Sea including islands disputed with Japan.
It demonstrates the challenges Washington -- which has declared a foreign policy "pivot" towards Asia -- faces in dealing with an ever more assertive China, the world's second-largest economy, while maintaining a security alliance with Beijing's great rival Japan.
"This is a hugely consequential bilateral relationship that is going to play a significant part in affecting the course of the 21st century," Biden told Xi.
"This new model of major-country cooperation ultimately has to be based on trust, and a positive notion about the motive of one another."
The meeting between the two, who are said to have a good personal rapport, lasted two hours, far longer than the scheduled 45 minutes.
Read more at Channel NewsAsia
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