The leaders of China and the United States struck positive tones Friday in the sweltering heat of the California desert as both talked of forging a "new model" for their relations going forward. "We're meeting here today to chart the future of China-U.S. relations," Chinese President Xi Jinping said. "...We need to think creatively and act energetically so that working together we can build a new model of major country relationship." The two-day summit at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunny lands, just outside Palm Springs, comes less than three months after Xi rose to his current post. Both he and U.S. President Barack Obama pointed out their meeting is happening sooner than some expected, a testament they said to both men's recognition of the importance of solid relations between the two countries, according to a report of CNN. "It is in the United States' interest that China continues on the path of success, because we believe that a peaceful and stable and prosperous china is not only good for Chinese but also good for the world and for the United States," Obama said. "And ... the United States and China (can) work together to address issues like cyber security and the protection of intellectual property," he added.