China's Xi Jinping hopes 'speedy recovery' for Biden as US President tests COVID positive

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday wished his American counterpart Joe Biden a "speedy recovery" after POTUS tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. According to Chinese state media reports, Xi expressed "deepest sympathies" after Biden through a Twitter post informed that he was experiencing "mild symptoms." Xi conveyed his best wishes and hoped for a "speedy recovery" for Biden, China Daily reported.

According to the White House, POTUS began displaying mild symptoms like runny nose, dry cough, and lethargy, on Thursday after he contracted the virus. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told in a press briefing that Biden will continue to perform his duties and is taking Paxlovid antiviral drug. Notably, the 78-year-old President has completed his COVID vaccine course with two Pfizer shots in 2021, followed by two booster shots in March and September, respectively.

Amid the growing rift between Washington and Beijing, the gestures by Xi come shortly after Biden told reporters on Wednesday that he was expected to speak with the Chinese leader "within 10 days."

Biden to contact Xi in 'next 10 days'

Biden asserted that he intends to hold a telephonic conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the "next 10 days." This will be the first call between the two state heads of the largest global economies since their presence at the virtual summit last March. "I think I will be talking to Chinese President Xi Jinping within the next 10 days," Biden told the press following the one-day trip to Massachusetts over climate change issues.

The dialogue will be the second such after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, which widened the rift between the US and China over Beijing's ignorance to publicly denounce the "unprovoked" war. Meanwhile, Biden's administration hinted that there could be a waiver of some Donald Trump-era sanctions imposed on Beijing to counter blasting inflation, despite push back from labour unions. However, the American President did not outline what he would say exactly to Xi, The Hill reported.

(Image: AP)