BEIJING (TIP): Visiting Chinese president Xi Jinping on Tuesday asked the US to treat China as an equally strong nation in what he called “a new model of major country relationship”.

He demonstrated China’s economic strength by placing an order for 300 Boeing aircraft, something closely related with employment in the US.

Xi contradicted some experts, who have talked about a Thucydides trap where an emerging power like China causes fears for an established power like the US leading to a war like situation.

“There is no such things as the so-called Thucydides trap in the world. But should major countries time and again make the mistakes of strategic miscalculation, they might create such traps for themselves,” he warned while speaking at a banquet hosted by the local government of Washington State and local groups.

Xi’s visit comes soon after China organized a massive military parade exhibiting sophisticated weapons in Beijing.

Many American senators have complained about China’s recent devaluation of Yuan, which might hit US exports.

“We want to see more understanding and trust, less estrangement and suspicion, in order to forestall misunderstanding and miscalculation,” the president said.

“The two countries should unswervingly boost win-win cooperation and foster friendship between the two peoples in an extensive manner.”

China has been developing its idea of “major country relationship” as it has emerged as an economic power while Russia has gradually lost its superpower status resulting in a vacuum

Xi will visit Boeing’s main plane factory in Washington State on Wednesday. Besides placing the new order, the State-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China signed an agreement with Boeing to establish a completion centre for 737 airliners in China.

A Chinese company recently placed another order for 50 aircraft with Boeing.

Xi has scheduled his meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House in the later part of the trip.

“We want to deepen mutual understanding with the US on each other’s strategic orientation and development path,” Xi said.

He suggested the two countries should respect each other, seek common ground while reserving their differences and spare no effort to turn differences into areas of cooperation.

China will stay committed to steady economic growth, reform, opening-up, rule of law, anti-corruption endeavors and the path of peaceful development, Xi said.

“China’s economy will stay on a steady course with fairly fast growth … The key to China’s development lies in reform … China will never close its open door to the outside world,” the president pledged.