Antony Blinken says he has seen evidence that China is trying to influence and meddle in the 2024 election, despite repeated warnings to Xi Jinping

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US has seen evidence that China is trying to “influence” and “interfere” with the November presidential election, despite leader Xi Jinping’s pledge not to do so.

“We have seen evidence overall of efforts to influence and demonstrably interfere, and we want to ensure that that is stopped as quickly as possible,” Blinken told CNN.

“Any interference by China in our elections is something we are looking at very carefully and is completely unacceptable to us, so I wanted to make sure they heard that message again,” he noted.

When Xi met with President Joe Biden in San Francisco in November, he vowed not to interfere in the upcoming US presidential elections.

But a US intelligence report warned last month that China was trying to influence US voters through TikTok and other social media apps.

Many fake accounts, originating from China, pretended to be American supporters of Donald Trump and promoted various conspiracy theories.

The report warned that the Chinese government could “seek to influence the 2024 U.S. elections at some level due to its desire to sideline critics of China and deepen U.S. societal divisions.”

Xi’s government has repeatedly denied any election interference.

Blinken was wrapping up a three-day trip to China, where he met with top Chinese officials, including Xi.

“We have seen evidence overall of efforts to influence and demonstrably interfere, and we want to ensure that this is stopped as quickly as possible,” Blinken told CNN.

During his meeting with the Chinese leader, Blinken emphasized the importance of “responsibly dealing with” the differences between the United States and China.

Blinken said he had raised concerns with Xi about Chinese support for Russia and the invasion of Ukraine, as well as other issues including Taiwan and the South China Sea, human rights and the production and export of synthetic opioid precursors.

He sounded a positive note on recent progress made in bilateral cooperation, including in the areas of military communications, counter-narcotics and artificial intelligence, with the two sides agreeing to initiate a dialogue on how to address the risks posed by the rapid emerging technology can be reduced.

“We are committed to maintaining and strengthening the lines of communication to advance that agenda, and once again to deal responsibly with our differences so that we avoid any miscommunication, misunderstandings and miscalculations,” he said.

But he emphasized that “even as we seek to deepen cooperation, where our interests are aligned, the United States is very clear on (China’s) challenges and on our competing visions for the future.” America will always defend our core interests and values.”

In particular, he said he raised continued concerns about Beijing’s supply of materials, including machine tools and microelectronics, to Moscow that President Vladimir Putin is using to bolster Russia’s defenses and its war against Ukraine.

“Russia would struggle to continue its attack on Ukraine without China’s support,” Blinken told reporters after his meeting with Xi.

“Feeding Russia’s defense industrial base not only threatens Ukrainian security, it also threatens European security,” he added. “As we have been telling China for some time, ensuring transatlantic security is a core US interest. In our discussions today. I have made it clear that if China does not address this problem, we will.”

When President Xi met with President Joe Biden in San Francisco in November, he vowed not to interfere in the upcoming US presidential election.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) shakes hands with US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns as he prepares to return to the US after a visit to China

Blinken did not elaborate on how the US would handle the matter if China did not, but Washington has imposed large numbers of sanctions on Chinese companies for doing business with countries such as Russia, Iran and North Korea.

He said he urged China to use its influence “to discourage Iran and its allies from expanding the conflict in the Middle East” and to convince North Korea “to end its dangerous behavior and engage in dialogue to go’.

Blinken also discussed with Xi China’s maritime maneuvers in the disputed South China Sea, and reiterated “ironclad” US support for the Philippines, the oldest treaty ally in Asia.

Xi emphasized that China and the US should seek common ground “instead of engaging in cruel competition.”

“China is happy to see a confident, open, prosperous and prosperous United States,” the Chinese leader said. ‘We hope that the US can also look at China’s development in a positive light. This is a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed.”

Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday and visited Shanghai shortly before Biden signed the $95 billion foreign aid package, which contains several elements likely to anger Beijing, including $8 billion to address China’s growing aggression toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea to counteract. It is also trying to force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the social media platform.

China and the United States are the major players in the Indo-Pacific. Washington has become increasingly alarmed by Beijing’s increasing aggressiveness in recent years toward Taiwan and its smaller Southeast Asian neighbors, with which it has significant territorial and maritime disputes in the region. South Chinese Ocean.

China has spoken out against US aid to Taiwan and immediately condemned the aid as a dangerous provocation. It also resists vigorously attempts to force the sale of TikTokalthough Blinken said the issue did not come up in his conversations Friday.

The bill also provides $61 billion for Ukraine to defend itself against the Russian invasion. China’s Foreign Ministry said the US position on China’s defense trade with Russia was hypocritical compared to the amount of military aid Washington is providing to Kiev.

“It is extremely hypocritical and irresponsible on the American side to submit a bill for large-scale aid to Ukraine while making baseless accusations against normal economic and trade exchanges between China and Russia,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

“Pushing the blame on China will not solve the problem, nor will it alleviate the passive situation of the parties involved in the Ukraine crisis,” he said.