President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan arrive at Boeing's Paine Field in Seattle on Tuesday. [Photo/Agencies]

President rules out cyberattack claims by US, saying China is a hacking victim

China does not steal commercial secrets in any form, nor does it encourage or support domestic companies engaging in such practices, President Xi Jinping said in an interview released on Tuesday.

His remarks followed allegations by Washington of China-backed cyberattacks on the US.

The claims came ahead of the arrival of Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan in Seattle on Tuesday at the start of the president's four-day state visit to the US.

"China takes cybersecurity very seriously. China is also a victim of hacking," Xi told The Wall Street Journal in a written interview.

He said cybertheft of commercial secrets and hacking attacks against government networks are both illegal; such acts are criminal offenses and should be punished according to law and international conventions.

"China and the United States share common concerns on cybersecurity. We are ready to strengthen cooperation with the US on this issue."