Trump downplays China election interference claims: 'Not a one-way street'

WASHINGTON, DC: Days after President Donald Trump, in a prime-time speech, claimed that the 2020 general election was stolen from him and that China intervened in the American poll to ensure Trump’s defeat, the Commander-in-Chief downplayed Beijing’s alleged role.

During a prime-time speech on Thursday, July 16, President Donald Trump accused China of interfering in the 2020 election and alleged "shocking vulnerabilities" in American voting systems.

Trump downplays China's role in alleged election fraud

President Trump appeared to play down his own claims of Chinese interference in US elections on Tuesday, July 21, telling reporters “it’s not a one-way street,” signalling domestic involvement.

“Well, we’re going to talk to them about it. It took place a long time ago. I think China is maybe a little bit different today than it was then,” Trump said in the Oval Office during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

“But look, they do things and we do things to them. I’ll be honest, we do things to them, too. It’s not a one-way street. But we’ll be talking to them,” the president said.

China denies alleged intervention

“The relevant allegations by the U.S. are entirely fabricated and aimed at vilifying China,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said last week. “We have no interest in interfering in US elections and have never done so.”

Trump has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims about voter fraud and foreign meddling in the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden.

In a prime-time speech just three months before midterm elections, Trump said he had declassified documents to back his claim that the 2020 general election was stolen from him and that Beijing had tried to sway the election in Biden's favour.

Trump is set to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House for a state visit in September. Trump visited China for an elaborate state visit in May.

Trump pushes SAVE Act to curb election fraud

President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed the SAVE America Act, which aims to make proof of citizenship mandatory for registration in the election rolls and photo identification at polling places, while imposing new limits on mail-in ballots, as he continues to talk about alleged vulnerabilities of the American election system.

Trump argues that with the SAVE America Act in place, instances of election fraud would be reduced and detected.