Iran press/ Asia: Pence rallied support for US President Donald Trump on Thursday by painting China as the archenemy making "comprehensive and coordinated" efforts to change the president, Press TV reported.
"To put it bluntly, President Trump's leadership is working; China wants a different American president," Pence said in a speech at the Hudson Institute think tank based in Washington, DC.
"There can be no doubt -- China is meddling in America's democracy."
The vice president’s hard-hitting speech followed up on Trump's claims that China was meddling in the US midterm elections by taking aim at his political base.
Neither Trump nor Pence provided hard evidence of Chinese meddling.
Pence cited China's advertisements in US media, and its targeting of politically strategic states when singling out goods for tariffs. Beijing rejected the claims.
"There can be no doubt -- China is meddling in America's democracy."
The vice president’s hard-hitting speech followed up on Trump's claims that China was meddling in the US midterm elections by taking aim at his political base.
Neither Trump nor Pence provided hard evidence of Chinese meddling.
Pence cited China's advertisements in US media, and its targeting of politically strategic states when singling out goods for tariffs. Beijing rejected the claims.
Meanwhile, China on Friday rejected Pence's charges as "unwarranted" and "ridiculous.”
"We urge the US to correct its wrongdoing, stop groundlessly accusing and slandering China and harming China's interests and China-US ties," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.
"The relevant speech made unwarranted accusations against China's domestic and foreign policies and slandered China by claiming that China meddles in US internal affairs and election," Hua said.
"This is nothing but speaking on hearsay evidence, confusing right and wrong and creating something out of thin air. The Chinese side is firmly opposed to it," she said.
"It is very ridiculous for the US side to stigmatize its normal exchanges and cooperation with China as China interfering in its internal affairs and elections," she stated.
Pence's major anti-China speech comes as Trump launches a trade war between the world's two biggest economies.
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Trump imposed $200 billion of tariffs on Chinese goods that were retaliated by China with $60 billion of tariffs on products made in the United States.
Other disputes between the two countries include their different viewpoints in regard to cyber activities, Taiwan's independence from China and freedom of navigation in disputed territories in the Chinese seas.
Analysts believe the upcoming US congressional elections scheduled for November 6 will seal the fate of Trump’s presidency.
If Republicans prevail, Trump will easily go for his second term in office, giving him double time to implement his ideas.
However, if democrats win, analysts say Trumps’ impeachment is likely.
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