WASHINGTON, Jan 31: President Barack Obama and China’s President Hu Jintao have agreed to forge “more positive” ties between their giant nations in their first telephone call since the US leader came to power, a White House spokesman said on Friday.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that Obama and Hu spoke on Friday of their “intention to build a more positive and constructive US-China relationship.”

Meanwhile, Beijing said on Saturday that the Chinese leader urged better ties with the United States in his first phone conversation with Obama, and called for both sides to resist trade protectionism.

An account of the conversation issued by the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Hu telling Obama that China would work toward a “more constructive China-US relationship” and welcomed US efforts to shore up the American economy, but warned against moves toward protectionism, the statement said.

“We hope to strengthen communication and coordination on macroeconomic policy and firmly resist trade protectionism,” Hu was quoted as saying.—AFP