President Xi has a good chance to make a convincing case that the U.S. and China need each other," Li Cheng, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the U.S. think tank Brookings Institution, told Xinhua in an interview. "There is no other choice, except to move forward for cooperation in multiple areas."

There are many areas, including the global economy, climate change, cyber security, anti-terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation, in which China and the United States should cooperate and play a positive role, Li said.

President Xi's first state visit to the United States, the expert said, will also help clarify some misunderstandings between the two countries, and undermine some of the worries or unfounded fears about a more confrontational relationship.