Beijing accused US President Donald Trump of “fabrications” on Friday after he said China had tampered with US election data, reviving his longstanding baseless allegations of voter fraud ahead of midterm elections that many expect him to contest.
Trump said in a speech at the White House on Thursday that the US electoral system was dangerously exposed and urged lawmakers to pass new voting restrictions, despite little appetite for the measures even within his own Republican Party.
The US president also said he would declassify intelligence that allegedly shows China illegally obtained 220 million voter records.
“The relevant claims made by the US side are pure fabrications and malicious slanders that have long been proven to be baseless statements,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference when asked about Trump’s latest claims.
“China has no interest in the US election and has never interfered in it,” Lin said.
“The international community sees very clearly who it is that usually interferes in the internal affairs of other countries.”
“We call on the US side to reflect on its actions, stop baseless smearing of China, refrain from making a China issue in its elections, and do more to benefit China-US relations,” he added.
Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was “rigged” has never been proven. More than 60 lawsuits produced no rulings proving fraud that could have changed the outcome, while recounts, audits and his Justice Department found none.
