June 24, 2015 — The U.S. and China said Wednesday they are stepping up cooperation on preserving the ocean and combating illegal fishing despite their differences on maritime security.

Secretary of State John Kerry said that indicates the two nations are “working hard to address differences and to find the areas of commonality.”

The two governments discussed ocean policy on the final day Wednesday of high-level talks on security and the economy. The leaders of the Chinese delegation met later Wednesday at the White House with President Barack Obama, who will host China’s President Xi Jinping in the fall.

This week’s talks are a prelude to Xi’s visit, his first to the U.S. since 2013. Despite growing tensions over cybertheft and China’s island-building in the disputed South China Sea, the U.S. and China are stressing how they can work together on less contentious issues, such as climate change.

State Councilor Yang Jiechi said they have “broad common interests in global maritime governance” and that they could jointly build a “peaceful and tranquil” marine environment.

Read the full story from the Associated Press here