Despite assurances published by the central government that Xi Jinping had known about the outbreak through releasing transcript of a speech government officials said was made on 7 January where Xi Jinping `` gave instructions for fighting the virus '' , critics have expressed doubt and believe that systemic censorship had completely `` blindsighted '' central authorities , pointing out that Xi Jinping `` would have every incentive to act quickly '' as a Central Committee member during the SARS outbreak if the central government had really known the outbreak 's severity .
The state media declared that Xi Jinping had known crucial details about the outbreak .