David Jackson, USA TODAY 8:22 p.m. EDT September 22, 2015

President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2014.(Photo: Doug Mills, AP)

Cybersecurity, human rights, military policy, and economic cooperation are among the agenda items when President Obama meets with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this week, administration officials said Tuesday.

As Xi began his U.S. trip with a stop Tuesday in Seattle to talk with high tech leaders, U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice met with leaders of civil society organizations who are concerned that a proposed Chinese law will restrict their outreach efforts.

The law would "hamper the ability of international and Chinese domestic civil society organizations to provide support and services to the Chinese people, and constrain U.S.-China people-to-people exchanges," the White House said in a statement on Rice's meeting.

Obama may protest the proposed law at meetings with Xi on Thursday and Friday, officials said.

"This is the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications. He said the United States and China are involved in a "sustained engagement" that has both agreements and disagreements.

While U.S. and Chinese officials hope to make to make progress on agreements about climate change and trade in Asia, the state visit also comes amid accusations of cybertheft against China and protests against increased Chinese militarization of the South China Sea.

United States officials have repeatedly raised the hacking issue with Chinese counterparts, including allegations of commercial theft of privileged information from U.S.-based businesses, officials said.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest noted that the Justice Department has indicted five Chinese military officials on cyber allegations. He said a prominent Chinese official recently traveled to the United States to confer with officials here about the cybersecurity topic.

"It is quite clear to the Chinese exactly how serious our concerns are," Earnest said, adding that "this issue will feature quite prominently"

Rhodes said the United States may consider economic sanctions against China over the cybertheft issue, though he added that no action will be taken before Xi's arrival Thursday.

China has denied the allegations, and accused the United States of spying on it.

The Chinese leader with be in Washington for a private dinner with Obama on Thursday evening. The official state visit, including bilateral meetings with Obama and a formal dinner, is on Friday.

As he arrived in Seattle on Tuesday, Xi issued an official statement saying he is looking forward to his state visit with Obama. The Chinese president said he hopes the two countries can forge "a new model of (a) major-country relationship of no-conflict, no-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation."

Xi visits the United States at a time when a downward spiral in the Chinese stock market appearing to be hurting the U.S. economy. Obama and Xi, and their aides, are expected to discuss disputes over Chinese valuation of their currency and alleged trade protectionism of Chinese products.

The United States has also protested Chinese construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea loaded with military equipment. U.S. allies in the region like Japan and Korea have protested these developments, calling them threats by the Chinese.

Rhodes said the United States has an interest in the "free flow of commerce" through the South China Sea, as well as "regional stability."

American aerial surveillance in the region has led to near-confrontations between U.S. and Chinese aircraft.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said China tried to "intercept" a U.S. aircraft just last week, another sign in "its pattern of aggressive behavior in the Asia-Pacific region."

Noting that the incident took place a week before Xi's visit to the White House, McCain said the incident "raises further questions about China's intentions and the Obama Administration's response thus far."

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