Beijing, Nov.17 Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday called on his American counterpart Barack Obama to join him in the camapign to end protectionism.

President Hu said the two sides would "continue to have consultations on an equal footing to properly resolve economic and trade frictions".

He made the comments at a joint press conference after a summit meeting with Obama in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

According to media reports, climate change and North Korea also played a major role in the talks.

Before Tuesday's closed-door meeting began, Mr Obama - continuing his first tour of Asia - said: "We believe strong dialogue is important not only for the US and China, but for the rest of the world."

Later in the day, Obama is due to visit the Forbidden City, meet the chairman of the Chinese parliament, Wu Banguo, and attend a a state banquet at the Great Hall organised in his honour.

Obama arrived in Beijing by plane from Shanghai where he had addressed Chinese students, telling them that individual rights and freedoms should be available to all.

Obama had told his audience on Monday that he was a "big supporter of non-censorship", and that unrestricted internet access was a "source of strength" that should be encouraged.

Communist China employs some of the tightest controls over internet content in the world.(ANI)