China urges end to 'microphone diplomacy' over U.S. differences

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping look down during their news conference in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing November 12, 2014. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Differences between the United States and China over the South China Sea and cybersecurity should not be addressed by "microphone diplomacy" but in "a proper way" to allow for a successful U.S. visit by President Xi Jinping this year, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday.

Wu Xi, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in Washington, said individual issues should not be allowed to overshadow the overall U.S.-China relationship and that common interests, including bilateral trade volume of $550 billion (£354.63 billion) last year, "far outweigh" differences between the countries.