U.S. Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel, closed his high-profile and often tense three-day tour of China with a formal meeting with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, on Wednesday.

Hagel capped his visit with U.S. concerns on the behavior of China's close ally North Korea, and directly asked Beijing to rein in its neighbor.

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For Xi's part, he called on the United States, through Hagel, for the two leading world powers to establish a new model of military partnership.

Like his message across Europe during his recent tour of four European Union member countries in March, Xi reiterated Beijing's encouragement of Washington to build on the partnership with China toward modern military relations that establish a new type of major-country relation.

The call for a building of the "new type of major-country" relation was first discussed by Xi during his first two meetings with Obama, and again in March, on the sidelines of this year's Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague.

Both agreed to establish a new type of major-country relationship founded on winnable cooperation and mutual respect.

Despite the seemingly cordial and warm welcome for Hagel, jagged edge issues were thrown at the U.S. defense chief all throughout his three-day tour.

Hagel's Chinese hosts kept hammering him on his recent statement of support to the traditional U.S. allies, Japan and the Philippines.  This happened over a debate with China over maritime territories claimed by all three countries.

The United States defended its position on the territorial disputes in the region, and reiterated before Beijing its readiness to lend aid to its two allies if the situation is provoked.

China continues to defy the U.S. and warns that any escalation in its territorial conflict with Manila and Tokyo will not begin with a provocation from Beijing.

During Hagel's meeting with China's Chief Executive, Hagel reminded Beijing of its ally North Korea and asked to mediate with Pyongyang on its continuing belligerence over its nuclear program.

Pyongyang continues to bring into dangerous levels the security conditions in northeast Asia with its insistence to pursue its nuclear weapons program and tests its missile capabilities into the Sea of Japan, which has alarmed South Korea and Japan.

On issues concerning counter espionage programs in cyberspace by both countries, little was resolved and suspicions remain high.

The United States provided Beijing a briefing on the U.S. cyber security monitoring systems while China has declined a counter briefing for their American counterparts.

The American defense secretary thanked China for the "robust itinerary" he received, including a tour of China's military installations. Hagel was the first Westerner to ever visit China's aircraft carrier, Liaoning, which was commissioned in 2012.

Hagel next heads to Mongolia on the final leg of his tour through North Asia.