WASHINGTON - Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy said Thursday that promoting a new type of relations between China and the United States should start with the Asia-Pacific region.

Because the US and China both are located in the Asia-Pacific region, they share the most overlapping interests in the area, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said at the fifth round of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

Yang said that Xi and US President Barack Obama agreed to explore ways to feature positive interaction and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region during their eight-hour meeting in California in June.

The two countries, Yang said, should strengthen dialogue, promote strategic mutual trust, expand shared interests and handle differences in the spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Yang also stressed that by upholding its peace, cooperative and win-win diplomatic policy in the Asia-Pacific region, China will neither be provocative nor timid in dealing with regional issues.

However, Yang said efforts should still be made by all related parties to settle disputes and differences through negotiations.

Beijing and Washington have been holding China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue annually since 2009 as a major channel to enhance mutual trust, boost cooperation and properly handle their differences.