China Denies Accusations of Interfering in U.S. Elections

China firmly rejected claims made by President Donald Trump about its involvement in stealing American voter data during the 2020 U.S. election. At a press conference on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, “The U.S. allegations have no factual basis and are intended to vilify China.” Lin added that similar accusations were previously proven unfounded.

During a speech at the White House on Thursday, Trump accused China of illegally acquiring 220 million files with sensitive voter records, aiming to influence the 2020 election. He described this as the largest compromise of election data in history. Despite Trump’s assertions, a 2021 U.S. intelligence report found no evidence of Beijing affecting the 2020 election outcome.

Lin emphasized that China has no interest in interfering in American elections. “By contrast, who has wantonly interfered in other countries’ internal affairs, conducted indiscriminate surveillance of governments, businesses, and the general public worldwide over a long period of time, and compromised the cybersecurity of other countries on a large scale?” Lin asked. He urged the U.S. to reflect on its behavior, cease vilifying China without justification, and adopt an approach more beneficial to stable U.S.-China relations.

Trump’s allegations arise during a delicate period for U.S.-China relations as both nations work to stabilize their interactions, previously strained across multiple domains. These include military rivalry in the Pacific and a trade war that escalated with Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods. Talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in May did not yield substantial concessions, yet both governments saw the meeting as a chance to reset their complex relationship. Trump has invited Xi to visit Washington in September.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comments made outside of regular business hours. More updates will follow as the story develops.