China rejects Trump's claims of US poll meddling

China on Thursday rejected allegations by US President Donald Trump of trying to interfere in the country's upcoming midterm election and warned such "baseless accusations could harm bilateral ties".

"China has always committed to the principle of not interfering in other countries' internal affairs. It is a tradition of our foreign policy and the international community has recognized this. The international community is also clear which country interferes most in other countries' affairs," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

"We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusation against China about meddling in other countries internal affairs. It is pure fiction," he said, according to ABC News.

During a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Trump had accused China of attempting to meddle in the November 6 mid-term elections because he was the first President ever to challenge China on trade.

"They do not want me, or us (his administration), to win," Trump told the Security Council, "because I am the first President ever to challenge China on trade, and we are winning on trade."

Earlier, citing China Daily's four-page advertisement in Des Moines Register -- an Iowa newspaper -- Trump had said China was trying to convince American farmers that US tariffs on Chinese goods would adversely affect them.

"China is actually placing propaganda ads in the Des Moines Register and other papers, made to look like news," Trump had tweeted.

Washington and Beijing are embroiled in an escalating trade war, with $200 billion worth of US tariffs on Chinese goods and $60 billion worth of Chinese tariffs on American goods going into effect this week.

--IANS

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