BEIJING - China and the United States will work to resolve commercial disputes and jointly oppose trade protectionism, President Hu Jintao said Tuesday after talks with visiting US counterpart Barack Obama.

Hu said during a joint address to reporters that the two sides "will continue to have consultations on an equal footing to properly resolve economic and trade frictions."

Tensions between the two countries have been growing in recent months. Both sides have traded a series of accusations of unfair trade practices since September when the Obama administration announced it would slap duties on Chinese-made tyres.

The spat escalated earlier this month when the United States slapped preliminary duties of up to 99 percent on imports of some Chinese steel products used in the oil industry.

China branded the decision an "abuse of protectionism" and retaliated by launching its own probe into US car imports.