Chinese President Xi Jinping, facing a skeptical audience on Tuesday, the first day of a weeklong U.S. visit, sought to reassure business and government officials over a long list of irritants, from economic reform to cyberattacks, human rights and commercial theft.

Xi, delivering a keynote address to some 650 business executives and other guests in Seattle, touched on a litany of issues that have strained U.S.-China ties.

China will not manipulate its currency to boost exports and will never engage in commercial theft, he said, adding it will not discriminate against foreign businesses, will speed its market opening and make efforts to improve human rights.