Beijing has strongly rejected Donald Trump's accusations against China regarding interference in the 2020 US elections, calling them 'pure fabrication' and a 'malicious smear campaign'.
Following a 25-minute televised address to the nation by Trump on July 16, Liu Chang, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, categorically stated: 'China has never interfered, nor will it interfere, in the US presidential elections.' The diplomat emphasized that US elections are an internal affair of the American people.
In his address, Trump repeated long-standing accusations against China, claiming Beijing had attempted to influence the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election to ensure his defeat. According to the president, China allegedly gained illegal access to the data of 220 million American voters, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and party affiliation information.
Democrats reacted with angry criticism. Senator Mark Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, called Trump's claims 'an absolute fabrication,' emphasizing that the intelligence community had investigated these allegations for years and 'repeatedly rejected' them. 'The facts haven't changed,' Warner stressed, adding that while China is indeed a strategic competitor to the US, there is no evidence of attempts to interfere in the elections.
Furthermore, sources noted that lists of American voters are publicly available information that political parties, companies, and researchers lawfully acquire for campaign purposes. In fact, almost every candidate running for office in the states purchases such files to contact voters.
Trump also used his address to promote the SAVE America Act (full title: Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act), which requires voters to confirm their citizenship when registering and present identification when voting. According to Trump, this is necessary to tighten the election system; however, Democrats rightly view the bill as an attempt to restrict voting rights. The Brennan Center for Justice estimates that this measure could disenfranchise over 21 million Americans who do not have easy access to the required documents.
Television networks ABC, NBC, and CNN declined to broadcast Trump's speech live on their main channels – a decision that departed from the usual practice of airing presidential addresses. According to political analysts and Democratic leaders, Trump used the address to sow disbelief in the election system ahead of the November midterm congressional elections, amidst polls suggesting significant losses for his party.
