Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with US President Barack Obama during their meeting at the start of the climate summit in Paris November 30, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

PARIS - Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is attending the opening session of a major United Nations climate change conference here, met with his US counterpart Barack Obama on Monday, discussing issues from bilateral ties to climate change talks.

Xi stressed China and United States should stick to the right direction of building a new-type of major country relations and the principles of non-conflict and non-confrontation, mutual respect as well as cooperation and win-win results.

He urged China and the United States to advance their practical communication and cooperation at bilateral, regional and global levels, and in areas including enhancing coordination on macro-economic policies, pushing for the achievement of the anticipated goals at this UN climate change conference and manage differences and sensitive issues in a constructive manner.

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with US President Barack Obama during their meeting at the start of the climate summit in Paris November 30, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and the United States should make concerted efforts in maintaining the sustained, health and stable development of bilateral relations, and safeguard and promote peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific and the world at large.

Around 150 heads of state or government are gathering here for the UN conference, officially called the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The highly-anticipated meeting aims to yield a new international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases beyond 2020, when the 1997 Kyoto Protocol expires.