Obama welcomes China's Xi with tough talk on rights, cyber-theft

US President Barack Obama welcomed China's Xi Jinping to the White House on Friday with pointed remarks about human rights, cyber espionage and Beijing's territorial ambitions. Xi arrived at the White House to a 21-gun salute and full ceremonial military honors, underlining the importance of the state visit, but Obama did not pull any punches. Washington and Beijing are at loggerheads over spying and China's claims in the South China Sea, but the relationship underpins the entire global economy.