Xi and Trump may find it difficult to agree with one another on many issues they will touch on

The Chinese authorities have said China is willing to work with the US to make sure the highly-anticipated meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump to be held next week will have a successful conclusion.

The offer from China comes as the two leaders are expected to talk about a series of global, regional, and bilateral issues of mutual concern, and on many of them, the two may find it a little difficult to agree with one another.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan will attend a welcome ceremony hosted by President Trump and the US first lady, Melania at Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat.

The summit will follow a string of high-level meetings and conversations between Chinese officials and the Trump Administration, including a visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in March, and a phone conversation between Xi and Trump in February.

Releasing details of the meeting on Friday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Zheng Zeguang, suggested those earlier communications have played a positive role in maintaining the stability of bilateral relations after Trump assumed office in January.

"Both sides now believe that we could become good partners, that we should strengthen dialogues at all levels, expand cooperation on various bilateral, regional and global issues. We've also reached consensus that we should properly deal with sensitive issues between us and bring them under control. Both sides actually look forward to the meeting between the two heads of state, which is an occasion to discuss and plan for the bilateral relations in the days ahead."

Throughout his election campaign, Trump had criticized China over trade, the South China Sea, and North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

In December, the then President-elect Trump questioned the One-China policy after taking a phone call from Taiwan Leader Tsai Ing-wen.

The incident roused anger from Chinese authorities as the One-China principle is seen by China as a political bottom line in its diplomacy with any other country.

President Trump mended the unhappiness caused by the incident by telling President Xi Jinping that he adhered to the One-China policy during their phone conversation in February.

However, his criticism of China, especially on economic matters, has cropped up from time to time after he was sworn in.

On Thursday, Trump tweeted that his country could no longer tolerate massive trade deficits and job losses in a clear reference to his meeting with President Xi Jinping.

US official data show China had a 347-billion-US-dollar trade surplus with the US in 2016.

But on Friday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang offered a different perspective on the trade data.

"Yes, China does have trade surplus with the US. But at the same time, I need to point out that in terms of goods, we are selling more to the US, but in terms of services, the US is selling more to us. So trade surplus is by no means what we are pursuing. Also, it is just not China's policy to use currency devaluation to boost its exports."

Zheng also noted China, which is transforming itself from an investment-led economy to one driven by consumption, will only have a growing demand for goods and services from the US in the future.

"Chinese investment in the US has been rising very rapidly in recent years, and those business activities give a lot of job opportunities for local people. This also helps improve the trade imbalance between China and the US."

Analysts believe tackling climate change, a highlight in Sino-US cooperation during the Obama era, is also likely to surface at the Xi-Trump summit.

President Trump, who had labeled climate change as a Chinese hoax, signed an executive order earlier this week to roll back President Obama's program on greenhouse gas emission restrictions.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said China will remain committed to its climate goals no matter what changes might take place in the climate policies of other countries.