Trump plays down China election claims: 'It's not a one-way street'

President Trump appeared to play down his own claims of Chinese election interference in U.S. elections on Tuesday, telling reporters “it’s not a one-way street.” 

“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. 

Trump accused China of election interference during a primetime address last week, in which he also amplified unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the U.S. 

China has denied interfering in past U.S. elections. 

“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 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. 

Both sides heralded a reset in relations, but there were few significant deals reached between the two sides, which remain in a delicate truce following a trade war early in Trump’s second term.

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