BEIJING (AFP) - US President Barack Obama and new Chinese president Xi Jinping held telephone talks Thursday on the expansion of ties between the two countries, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Mr Obama congratulated Mr Xi on his new appointment after he was named president by China's parliament and said US-China relations were faced with an historic opportunity for future cooperation, Xinhua said.

They also discussed cyber-security and North Korea Thursday, state news agency Xinhua reported.

"Xi expressed China's principles and positions on those issues," Xinhua said after the two leaders held telephone talks following the naming of Mr Xi as China's new president.