China is reacting angrily to President Trump’s claims that it stole information about 220 million American voters during the 2020 election, dubbing them “groundless accusations.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the accusations were “entirely fabricated and aimed at vilifying China.”
“We have no interest in interfering in U.S. elections and have never done so,” he said, as reported by wire services.
Mr. Trump’s allegations put a chill on the thaw in U.S.-China relations since his May visit to Beijing, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to build a constructive relationship committed to a new business-first framework and increased cooperation on global crises.
The new rift comes just months before Mr. Trump was tentatively scheduled to host Mr. Xi in the U.S.
The president’s remarks about election interference also prompted an outcry from Republicans, who said it was time to crack down on China.
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Mr. Trump, in a primetime address on Thursday, said evidence that China compromised voter information was actively suppressed and downplayed by members of the “deep state” to prevent him and the American people from knowing about the alleged meddling.
The president accused U.S. intelligence agencies of knowing about the compromised voter registration files in 2020.
“Those responsible for sounding the alarm instead kept the information secret and hidden,” Mr. Trump said. “They did not disclose to me as president or to anyone else, and to the best of our knowledge, they did not inform Congress.”
Mr. Trump said he’s ordered the Justice Department to prosecute anyone involved in the cover-up of Chinese efforts to influence the 2020 election, including top CIA and NSA officials.
Mr. Trump did not present any evidence that China tampered with ballots, altered voting systems or changed the outcome of the election.
Before Mr. Trump’s speech, the Chinese Embassy in Washington circulated a statement denying claims of interference.
“China has all along adhered to the principle of non-interference in others’ internal affairs,” the embassy said. “The U.S. election is an internal matter of the U.S. Its outcome is determined by the votes of the American people. China has never and will never interfere in the presidential elections of the U.S.”
In the U.S., Democrats accused the president of dredging up and repackaging old news to try and discredit his 2020 loss to Joseph R. Biden or sow doubts about the upcoming midterm results.
