US-China relations: Xi Jinping sends best wishes to Donald Trump a day after Covid-19 diagnosis
- Even North Korea’s Kim Jong-un sent his ‘sincere’ wishes for the US President’s recovery, but China’s leader was much slower to respond
- Relations between Washington and Beijing have been steadily deteriorating and one observer said Xi’s reticence was ‘understandable’
Since Donald and Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19, leaders from all over the world have wished the pair a speedy recovery.
While Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message on Saturday evening, he lagged behind other state leaders – even North Korea’s Kim Jong-un – a possible indicator of the state of US-China relations.
Trump announced early on Friday that he and his wife had both tested positive for the coronavirus, raising concerns about his campaign in the month before Americans take to the voting booths on November 3.
Narendra Modi and Imran Khan, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, were two of the first leaders to send their best wishes, highlighting both countries’ perennial jostling for US support.
Taiwan, which is pushing for greater aid from Washington, was also swift in releasing a statement via the island’s foreign ministry on Friday.