Washington, Sep 25 (EFE).– U.S. President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he has reached an accord with China, according to which neither of the two countries will carry out or knowingly support the theft of intellectual property or business secrets in cyberspace, a source of great tension between these world powers.

“Today, I can announce that our two countries have reached a common understanding on the way forward” on cyberspace, Obama said at the White House during a joint press conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

However, Obama said, “I have to insist that our work is not yet done. I believe we can expand our cooperation in this area, even as the United States will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to protect American companies, citizens and interests.”

Over the past year, the FBI has recorded a 53 percent increase in Chinese cyberattacks in the United States for the purpose of business and trade espionage.

Obama said Friday that the two countries will “work together, and with other nations, to promote international rules of the road for appropriate conduct in cyberspace.”

At the same time, the two powers “agree that timely responses should be provided to requests for information and assistance concerning malicious cyber activities” originating in their respective nations.

The two countries will therefore establish a high-level dialogue to fight cybercrimes and related matters, to be headed on the U.S. side by Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

While the two presidents exhibited harmony on cybersecurity, they differed on other sensitive issues.

Obama expressed “significant concerns” about Beijing’s apparent expansion in the South China Sea and encouraged China to adopt a policy that will dissipate the rising tensions there, while Xi vehemently defended the actions taken by his country.

“We did have candid discussions on the East and South China Seas, and I reiterated the right of all countries to freedom of navigation and overflight and to unimpeded commerce,” Obama said.

“I conveyed to President Xi our significant concerns over land reclamation, construction and the militarization of disputed areas, which makes it harder for countries in the region to resolve disagreements peacefully. And I encouraged a resolution between claimants in these areas,” Obama said.

For his part, Xi said that “islands in the South China Sea since ancient times are China’s territory.”

“We have the right to uphold our own territorial sovereignty and lawful and legitimate maritime rights and interests,” the Chinese leader said.

“Relevant construction activities that China is undertaking in the Nansha Islands (also known as the Spratly Islands and claimed by the Philippines), do not target or impact any country, and China does not intend to pursue militarization,” Xi said, adding that disputes in this area should be settled peacefully.

Obama also told Xi of his concern about the “problematic” situation of human rights in China.

“I expressed in candid terms our strong view that preventing journalists, lawyers, NGOs and civil society groups from operating freely, or closing churches and denying ethnic minorities equal treatment are all problematic, in our view, and actually prevent China and its people from realizing its full potential,” Obama said.

Xi, for his part, said that while “democracy and human rights are the common pursuit of mankind…we must recognize that countries have different historical processes and realities.”

“China stands ready to, in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, conduct human rights dialogue with the United States, expand consensus, reduce differences, learn from each other, and progress together,” Xi said. EFE