Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said?in Washington?Tuesday that China and the United States should resort to dialogues instead of protectionism to address their trade and economic concerns.

China's Vice-President Xi Jinping (L) meets with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, February 14, 2012. [Xinhua]

In a meeting at the White House with his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, Xi said China-U.S. economic and trade ties serve as "ballast" and "propeller" for overall bilateral relations.

He expressed the hope that the two countries would improve coordination of macroeconomic policies, deepen cooperation in handling the international financial crisis and the European debt crisis, and advance cooperation programs on trade and investment.

The two sides, he added, should also preserve the basic pattern of mutual benefit and win-win results in their trade and economic relations.

Xi arrived in Washington on Monday afternoon for a five-day official visit to the United States. He met President Barack Obama on Tuesday.