China denies Xi asked WHO to help cover up virus

China's foreign ministry on Monday denied a report in a German magazine saying that Chinese leer Xi Jinping contacted World Health Organization for help in covering up coronavirus.

" Chinese leer did t speak with World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general on January 21," said Zhao Lijian, spokesman for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In recent weeks, Trump ministration has been attacking WHO, accusing it of tiptoeing around China and delaying warnings about coronavirus to avoid offending Beijing.

German news magazine Der Spiegel reported on Friday that German intelligence h found that Xi asked WHO to withhold information about person-to-person transmission of coronavirus and to delay a pandemic warning.

But Chinese officials publicly declared coronavirus was transmissible from person-to-person on January 20, a day before alleged call.

Also Monday, Zhao responded to comments by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters in support of Taiwan's entry into WHO.

Zhao said this was "political manipulation" and warned it could dam bi-lateral relations with New Zealand.

Zhao's comments come as some Western countries are pressing for Taiwan's inclusion as a separate entity in WHO, fueling pushback from Beijing.

At China's insistence, Taiwan has been barred from U.N. and WHO and even stripped of its observer status at annual World Health Assembly.