Vice-President Pence accuses China of meddling in US
WASHINGTON — Vice-President Mike Pence charged Thursday that Russia’s influence operations in America pale in comparison with the covert and overt activities China is taking to interfere in the U.S. midterm elections and counter President Donald Trump’s tough trade policies against Beijing.
Pence laid out measures Beijing is employing to undermine the Trump administration. They include public steps such as targeting Chinese tariffs to industries in states that are crucial to Trump in the midterms as well as behind-the-scenes actions like coercing U.S. businesses to speak out against the Trump administration and intimidating scholars.
Pence also denounced China’s manoeuvrs in the South China Sea, its oppression of Christians, Muslims and other religious believers, and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature infrastructure and foreign policy initiative. The unusually expansive and aggressive criticism of Beijing by a senior U.S. official indicated that Washington could be preparing to take a more confrontational approach with China on issues beyond just the trade dispute.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said Beijing objected to Pence’s “groundless” allegations and urged the U.S. to stop hurting ties between the two countries.