US-China must unite to fight coronavirus, Xi tells Trump

Mangalore Today News Network

Beijing, Mar 27, 2020: Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday called upon his US counterpart Donald Trump to take "substantive actions" and "unite to fight" the coronavirus pandemic which is spreading rapidly across the globe, news agency AFP reported.

 

President Jinping called Trump, a day after the US took over China in the number of positive coronavirus cases reported, which is 82,400, state media said.

Meanwhile, China has decided to shut its borders to foreign arrivals amid fears of infections increasing again in the country.

In an attempt to repair strained relations between both counties over the virus, Xi told Trump that China "wishes to continue sharing all information and experience with the US" and that the relations between both countries had reached an "important juncture", said state broadcaster CCTV.

The peacemaking call came weeks after Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to the pandemic as "Chinese virus", several times while discussing the outbreak of coronavirus, which was first detected in Wuhan.

"Working together brings both sides benefits, fighting hurts both. Cooperation is the only choice," the Chinese President was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Xi added that he hoped that the US-China relations would improve which will be "without conflict and confrontation" but based on "mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation". Terming the pandemic as "the common enemy of mankind", Xi said: "Only by united can the international community can defeat it."

After the phone call, the US President took to Twitter to share that he had a good conversation with Xi. "Discussed in great detail the coronavirus that is ravaging large parts of our planet. China has been through much and has developed and strong understanding of the virus. we are working closely together. Much respect," Trump wrote.

Earlier this month, a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing had also suggested in a tweet, that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.

Some provinces, cities and companies in China have provided medical supplies and support to the US as well, Xi added, according to AFP.