New Delhi, February 25: United States President Donald Trump, on a bilateral visit to India, expressed solidarity with neighbouring China which has been hit by the deadly novel coronavirus. Trump, during his media interaction in New Delhi on Tuesday, lauded the efforts undertaken by Chinese President Xi Jinping to contain the virus outbreak. Coronavirus Outbreak: Iran Denies COVID-19 Cover Up After Reports Claim 50 Deaths.

Trump also claimed to have recently spoken with his counterpart in Beijing. Based on the conversation, the American head of state claimed, China is inching closer towards bringing the health crisis in control. "China is working very hard, I have spoken to President Xi. It looks like China is getting it under control," he said.

Update by ANI

Trump had, on earlier occasions as well, offered to extend all forms of assistance to China in combating the spread of coronavirus. In a media briefing on February 11, the US President had claimed that the crisis would end by April, when the rising temperatures would kill the coronavirus. "The virus... typically that will go away in April. The heat, generally speaking, kills this kind of virus," he had said.

On Monday - the first day of his maiden India visit - Trump took a veiled jibe at China by jabbing the nation over its totalitarianism. While referring to India as a great democratic power in  South Asia which emerged as a "towering country" by setting its people free, others in the region used "coercion, intimidation and aggression" to inculcate nationalism, he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 25, 2020 04:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).