Trump accuses China of trying to interfere in Congress election
● Hours after facing mocking laughter at UN, he was on the attack
US president Donald Trump has accused China of attempting to interfere in the upcoming US congressional elections, claiming the Chinese are motivated by opposition to his tough trade policy.
Mr Trump was speaking ito world leaders while chairing the United Nations Security Council for the first time.
His accusation comes amid the ongoing special counsel investigation into Russia’s attempts to interfere in the 2016 US election to help him and concerns that the November elections could also be vulnerable.
“Regrettably, we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election ,” mr trump said.
“They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade.”
Asked later what evidence he had, he replied “plenty of evidence” but did not provide any.
He alleged again: “They would like to see me not win because this is the first time ever that they’ve been confronted on trade. And we are winning and we’re winning big. And they can’t get involved with our elections.”
A Chinese delegate shrugged when he heard Mr Trump’s statement via translation in the General Assembly.
China later denied Mr Trump’s accusation.
“We do not and will not interfere in any countries’ domestic affairs,” said foreign minister Wang Yi at the United Nations.
“We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China, and we call on other countries to also observe the purposes of the UN charter and not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.”
There is extensive evidence linking Russia to attempts to penetrate US elections systems and to influence US voters.
But with the elections less
than two months away, US intelligence and election protection officials have not cited any specific, credible Chinese efforts.
Officials say China’s cyberespionage operations targeting US defence and commerce have been formidable, however.
And Mr Trump’s claim comes amid an escalation of tensions between Washington and Beijing, spurred by their growing trade dispute.
Each imposed tariff increases on the other’s goods on
Monday and Beijing accused the Trump administration of bullying.
A Chinese official said China cannot hold talks on ending the trade dispute while the US “holds a knife” to Beijing’s neck by imposing tariff hikes.
US intelligence officials have said they are not now seeing the intensity of Russian intervention registered in 2016 and are also concerned about activity by China, Iran and North Korea.
Earlier, Mr Trump had poured scorn on the “ideolo- gy of globalism” and heaped praise on his own administration’s achievements in a speech to the UN General Assembly, which drew headshakes and even mocking laughter from his audience of fellow world leaders.
“The US will not tell you how to live and work or worship,” he said as he unapologetically promoted his “America First” agenda. “We only ask that you honour our sovereignty in return.”
Speaking in triumphal terms, Mr Trump approached his address to the world body as something of an annual report to the world on his country’s progress since his inauguration. He showcased strong economic numbers, declared the US military is “more powerful than it has ever been before” and crowed that in “less than two years, my administration has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country”.
Sentences into the remarks, the audience began to chuckle and some leaders broke into outright laughter. Mr Trump appeared briefly flustered.