China’s President Xi Jinping has met US tech leaders in Seattle.

He has promised to strengthen protections on intellectual property and clear obstacles to investment in China.

Speaking at the Seattle meeting, Xi Jinping said: “Without reform, there will be no driving force; without opening up, there will be no progress.”

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Apple CEO Tim Cook were among those attending.

US tech companies are eager to tap into China’s massive market of consumers.

Photo AP

Xi Jinping addressed recent China’s recent economic troubles, and said the government was taking steps to address it.

However, the president said: “I believe in the long run that the fundamentals of the Chinese economy are good.”

Xi Jinping stressed that reaching agreements to ensure continued robust international trade was a top priority.

US officials have said the two countries have made progress in negotiating a new trade agreement, but key issues remain unresolved.

Former US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson moderated a closed-door discussion with more than 30 business leaders before Xi Jinping’s public remarks.

Representatives from Twitter, Facebook and Google were notably missing from the event as China blocks those companies’ websites.

However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined Jeff Bezos and President Xi Jinping later on the day as they toured Microsoft’s corporate campus in suburban Seattle.

Xi Jinping travels to Washington DC on September 24 to meet President Barack Obama.