The United States and China should cooperate in addressing Internet issues, especially in the area of online security, and deal jointly with the rapid development of cyberspace, officials and experts from both countries said at a forum in Beijing.

Online security has become a source of friction between China and the US, though the nations have common interests and responsibilities, Qian Xiaoqian, vice-minister of the State Council Information Office, said at Tuesday's US-China Internet Industry Forum. It was the sixth such event since the forums began in Seattle in 2007.

To maintain network security, the two countries should further establish trust and try to solve problems, because this will improve development of the Internet and have positive effects worldwide, Qian said.

"The two countries should cooperate and reduce blame or accusations without evidence," he said.

As the leader in global information technology, the United States has many advantages in cyberspace, while China, the biggest Internet market, has more than 564 million users.

Robert Hormats, US undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, said the countries need to cooperate. The US, he said, will increase the number of official discussions and the frequency of communication over thorny Internet issues with China in the future.

"The long-term interest of the Chinese government is to investigate and halt these cyber intrusions wherever in this country they come from," Hormats said.

In February, Virginia-based cybersecurity firm Mandiant Corp issued a detailed report accusing a secret Chinese military unit in Shanghai of being behind years of hacking attacks against more than 140 Western - mostly US - companies. Chinese officials have strongly denied the accusation.

In late March, US President Barack Obama signed into law a ban on federal government purchases of information-technology systems made in China.

Beijing immediately urged Washington to revoke that decision, saying the ban would impair trust between China and the US and harm trade relations.

The ban, part of a spending package that will expire at the end of the US government's fiscal year in September, is seen by some analysts as a way for the US to express concerns over cybersecurity and protect its domestic information-technology industry.

The US-China Business Council, which represents more than 200 US companies that do business in China, wrote a letter urging leaders in Washington from both parties to reject "country-specific restrictions" when the government attempts to make cyberspace more secure. That approach "creates a false sense of security if the goal is to improve our nation's cybersecurity," it added.

"Cybersecurity is of increasing concern to US companies, regardless of the source, and it should be a priority for the US government to address," the council's president, John Frisbie, wrote in the letter, which was dated April 8 and addressed to Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

He said the US and Chinese governments should "cooperate to address cybersecurity issues as they impact the commercial relationship, starting with one fundamental premise: commercial espionage should not be tolerated and if it is not addressed, it could undermine a constructive commercial relationship".

"The national security of the United States is critical, but it must not be used as a means of protectionism," Frisbie wrote.

China's Premier Li Keqiang said on March 17 that all countries should do more to keep the Internet safe instead of making "groundless accusations".

Li didn't deny there are differences in how online security is dealt with in China and the US, but if the two respect each other, he said, their common interests will outweigh disagreements.

He also said cooperation should extend to the mobile Internet, considering advances in digital technology.

The number of mobile users in China has reached 420 million, an increase of 18 percent from 2011, according to organizers of Tuesday's forum.

"Mobile devices have become the biggest platform to surf the Internet, for white-collar workers and migrant workers alike," Vice-Minister Qian said. "It's also fashionable to post microblogs, and use the smartphone app WeChat on cellphones."

WeChat is a digital application that lets users send free text messages domestically and internationally.

The two countries need to cooperate on mobile Internet research, Qian said, adding that China will modify laws involving the Internet and welcome US companies to invest in its industry.

"In addition, China and the US can create more channels for dialogue, such as governments, institutions and companies, and enhance investigation systems to crack down on online crimes," he said.

Hu Qiheng, chairwoman of the Internet Society of China, said dialogue can improve communication, which in turn can help the two countries understand each other better.

"Good understanding will be helpful to close the distance between China and the US on dealing with online issues," she said.

Contact the writers at caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn and yuweizhang@chinadailyusa.com