China and the United States should talk often to understand each other's strengths and differences and to cooperate better in the future, Ellen Kullman, the newly elected chair of the US-China Business Council, said on Friday.

Kullman made the statements several hours before a meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama in California.

"When you have countries with large economies, it is important for leaders to speak often for a sustainable development," said Kullman during the 2013 Fortune Global Forum in Chengdu, Sichuan province. "The more our leaders can sit and discuss, the more powerful the combination of China and the US can be in the world."