Xi Jinping calls on Trump to mend relations due to pandemic

(Patria) – Chinese President Xi Jinping called on US President Donald Trump to make 'significant efforts' to improve relations between the two countries due to the common enemy – the coronavirus.

After exchanging offensive rhetoric over the past few weeks, Trump and Jinping had a phone conversation on Friday focused on the epidemic in an effort to reach an agreement.

The Chinese President called the conversation with Trump a 'milestone':

- Joint action benefits both sides, conflicts harm both sides. Cooperation is the only choice, Xi said, hoping that the US will take 'concrete actions' to develop relations 'without conflict and confrontation', based on 'mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation'.

Despite Beijing's strong opposition, the US President called the coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' because it originated in Wuhan, China, while Chinese diplomats angrily retorted that the virus originated in the US and was brought to China.

Trump tweeted that he had a 'very good conversation' with the Chinese President, and that China had 'created a great understanding of the virus' and was cooperating with America.

China will temporarily ban the entry of almost all foreign nationals from Friday, which also includes a significant restriction on flights. The ban is being introduced after the first locally transmitted infection was discovered after a week without such cases, where the number of new infections was solely increased by entries from abroad. The entry ban for foreign nationals has been supported by many Chinese who even oppose the entry of Chinese nationals living abroad.

China is preparing to approve the return to work and lift many bans in Hubei province (Wuhan), where it all began.