Xi tells Trump coronavirus outbreak will not affect China's economic development

Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart, Donald Trump, during a Friday phone conversation that the outbreak of a new coronavirus would not affect the long-term economic development of China, media reported.

"The positive trend in the development of the Chinese economy will not change in the long-term," Xi said, as quoted by China Central Television.

The new strain of coronavirus - 2019-nCoV - was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan, located in the province of Hubei, in December and has since spread to more than 25 countries. In mainland China, the virus has already left 636 people dead and over 31,000 infected. Last week, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in light of the outbreak.