Xi Jinping defends China's stock market interventions on first US visit

China's economy shows fresh sign of weakness despite president's assurance that markets are in 'self-recovery' and that Beijing is against currency wars

China's president, Xi Jinping, has sought to reassure global concern about the world's second-largest economy, defending his government's actions in the stock market and saying growth will be maintained.

"China's economy will stay on a steady course with fairly fast growth. It's still operating in a proper range with a growth rate of 7% ... Our economy is under pressure but that is part of the path on the way toward growth," the Chinese president said in a speech in Seattle on Tuesday, the first day of his state visit to the US.

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