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UNITED NATIONS – President Donald Trump Wednesday accused China of trying to interfere in the upcoming congressional elections, saying the Chinese were motivated by opposition to its harsh trade policies.
The Chinese said that was not the case.
Trump, voicing in front of world leaders while presiding over the UN Security Council for the first time, launched his charge as part of the special council's investigation into attempts to Russia to oppose the 2016 US elections be vulnerable.
"Unfortunately, we found that China was trying to ingest in the upcoming elections of 2018," Trump said. "They do not want us to win because I am the first president to challenge China in trade."
Asked later about his evidence, he replied, "a lot of evidence," but he did not provide any.
He reiterated, "They would like me not to win, because this is the first time they are facing trade. And we win and we win big. And they can not participate in our elections. "
A Chinese delegate shrugged when he heard Trump's statement through a translation to the General Assembly. China then denied Trump's accusation.
"We do not interfere or interfere in any of the domestic affairs of a country," Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations. "We refuse to accept unjustified accusations against China and we call on other countries to respect the objectives of the American Charter and not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries."
US officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump's remark.
There is ample evidence linking Russia to attempts to penetrate US electoral systems and influence US voters. But with elections in less than two months, US intelligence and election protection officials cited no specific and credible Chinese effort.
The Chinese authorities claim that the cyber-espionage operations targeting US defense and trade have been great. And Trump's claim comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing have intensified, fueled by their growing trade conflict.
Each country imposed tariff increases on Monday, and Beijing accused the Trump administration of harassment. A Chinese official said China could not hold talks to end the trade dispute as the United States "held a knife" around Beijing's neck by imposing tariff increases.
US intelligence officials said that they no longer saw the intensity of the Russian intervention recorded in 2016 and also worry about activities being carried out by China, the United States. Iran and North Korea. Trump's statement took lawmakers and some national security officials by surprise because Beijing was not named as the most disturbing enemy.
Thomas Rid, a cyber security expert with Johns Hopkins, said, "I am not aware of any Chinese interference in the mid-term elections." Chinese influence operations are more subtle, less public. and business related.
China has been accused of ingesting an election earlier, but not in the United States. The cyber security firm Fire Eye published in July a report describing "active compromises of several Cambodian entities related to the electoral system of the country," including the National Electoral Commission, before the parliamentary elections on July 29.
The hacker approach was similar to a China-related hacking group linked to multiple computer operations that violated US defense companies, universities, and engineering and technology development companies.
Trump also took advantage of his time to chair the Security Council meeting on nuclear proliferation to send a strong warning to Iran, aspiring to nuclear power, which he considered the world's main sponsor of terrorism, fueling conflict in the region. region and well beyond.
The president withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, accusing the country of destabilizing actions throughout the region and supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah. Severe sanctions should apply to Tehran in November, and Trump warned that there would be "serious consequences" for any nation that would have challenged them.
Despite his difficult speech, Trump said he could consider relations with Iran moving in the same direction as North Korea. A year ago at the UN, Trump denigrated his leader Kim Jong Un as "Rocket Man" and threatened to annihilate the country, but on Wednesday he touted the "wonderful relationship" with Kim. men could be released soon.
He also condemned the violence in the ongoing bloody civil war in Syria, saying that "butchery is allowed by Russia and Iran".
Trump has also embarked on a thorny policy in the Middle East, endorsing the two-state solution to end the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. One day, after being greeted with laughter by world leaders still unsure about how to handle his "America First" ideology, Trump explicitly backed Israel, noted the US Embassy's move to Jerusalem and suggested progress for peace in the Middle-East.
"I like the two-state solution," Trump said in his clearest agreement on the plan, when meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "That's what I think works best."
The United States said the embassy move was "a big chip" that the United States delivered to the Israelis.
"I probably took the biggest chip out of the table. And so, obviously, they have to start, you know, we have to make a fair deal. We must do something. Offers must be good for both parties.
"Now it will also mean that Israel will have to do something that is good for the other side."
The two-state "solution" is essentially an aspiration. The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians over the division of territory, borders and governance has spawned violence that has been going on for many years and is hampering peace efforts in the Middle East.
The relocation of the Tel-Aviv embassy sparked widespread Palestinian protests and condemnations from many US allies who were worried about new violence likely to destabilize the fragile region. Trump said the peace plan for his administration, led in part by his chief son-in-law Jared Kushner, would be released in the coming months.
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