Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is making his first visit to the White House, where he is meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in an effort to boost cooperation between the two world powers. Mr. Obama said a cooperative relationship based on mutual respect is in the interest of the world.

Welcoming Xi to the White House before the Oval Office meeting, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called the U.S.-China relationship one of the most important in the world and urged cooperation despite the nations' differences.

“We are not always going to see eye to eye, we are not always going to see things exactly the same, but we have important, very important economic and political concerns that warrant we work together.”

Xi's visit is attracting close attention, as he is expected to become China's Communist Party leader later this year and president in 2013. Xi will spend much of his time with Biden, who visited China as Xi's guest in August.

Appearing with Biden, Xi said he hopes to engage with a broad cross section of American society during his trip and deepen the nations' friendship. He said he looks forward to an in-depth and candid exchange of views.

The visit also gives President Obama the opportunity to raise familiar issues of concern with China, including human rights, unrest in Tibet and the U.S.-China trade imbalance.

Tibetan protesters have been demonstrating in Washington since Xi's arrival Monday, chanting slogans against China and holding pictures of Tibetans who recently self-immolated in protest of Chinese rule.

Xi's visit will also serve as an opportunity for Washington to convince Beijing that its “pivot” in U.S. military power towards Asia is not meant to contain China's rise.

After lunch hosted by Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the State Department, Xi is scheduled to visit with military officials at the Pentagon and then hold talks with American and Chinese business leaders.

In an interview published Monday in The Washington Post, Xi warned against a U.S. military build-up in Asia, even while maintaining that there is “ample” room in the Pacific region for both countries.

After his arrival, he said the United States should take “concrete measures to promote mutual trust” between the two countries.

Xi is due to travel Wednesday to the midwestern state of Iowa and then to California before returning to China on Friday.