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China-US relations: Xi rejected Trump’s offers of help in early days of coronavirus outbreak, Woodward says
- In his book Rage, Washington journalist gives accounts of the two phone calls between presidents since the pandemic started
- In March 27 call Chinese President says ‘lockdowns, quarantine and social distancing’ are effective in containing virus
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Chinese President Xi Jinping asked his US counterpart Donald Trump not to spark panic over Covid-19 and rejected several offers by Trump to send medical experts to China to help investigate and contain the virus, according to a book by journalist Bob Woodward to be released on Tuesday.
In Rage, his second book about Trump’s presidency, Woodward said US health officials monitored the virus outbreak from late December.
American officials maintained regular contact with their Chinese counterparts and offered to send a medical team to the virus-hit area to help but their proposals were rejected by their Chinese peers.

Rage contains details of the two historic phone conversations between the world leaders this year.
During a 30-minute phone conversation with Xi on February 6, Trump himself raised the offer of help, Woodward said. Trump offered several times to send US medical experts to China to “help 100 per cent”, but his suggestions were rebuffed by Xi.
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