By Mark Landler
President Trump told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that the Chinese “do not want me or us to win, because I am the first president to ever challenge China on trade.”
UNITED NATIONS — President Trump on Wednesday accused a foreign power of meddling in an American election: not Russia, but China.
The Chinese are trying to damage his political standing before the midterm elections because of his imposition of tariffs on billions of dollars in Chinese goods.
President Trump told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday that the Chinese “do not want me or us to win, because I am the first president to ever challenge China on trade.”UNITED NATIONS — President Trump on Wednesday accused a foreign power of meddling in an American election: not Russia, but China.
The Chinese are trying to damage his political standing before the midterm elections because of his imposition of tariffs on billions of dollars in Chinese goods.
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council, where China’s foreign minister was also present, he said, “They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president to ever challenge China on trade.”
It was not the first time the president has accused the Chinese of meddling in the nation’s affairs: He has complained that in response to his tariffs, China had imposed retaliatory ones aimed at American farmers and other politically sensitive constituencies in states that support him.
It was not the first time the president has accused the Chinese of meddling in the nation’s affairs: He has complained that in response to his tariffs, China had imposed retaliatory ones aimed at American farmers and other politically sensitive constituencies in states that support him.
But he has never leveled the accusation so bluntly or in such a high-profile international setting.
President Trump did not suggest that China’s behavior was on the scale of Russia’s sophisticated campaign of manipulating social media and the release of hacked emails during the 2016 presidential election.
“Well, I think it’s different,” President Trump said at a news conference later in the day, when he was asked to compare the Chinese and Russian efforts.
Still, by raising the specter of interference in the midterms, he reintroduced the notion that a foreign power could alter the outcome of an American election.
The president’s accusation hijacked a busy day of diplomacy at the United Nations — one in which President Trump also reversed his position that North Korea needed to relinquish its nuclear weapons rapidly.
Still, by raising the specter of interference in the midterms, he reintroduced the notion that a foreign power could alter the outcome of an American election.
The president’s accusation hijacked a busy day of diplomacy at the United Nations — one in which President Trump also reversed his position that North Korea needed to relinquish its nuclear weapons rapidly.
He now said he had years to come to an agreement with the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, and would impose no timeline on the negotiations.
The accusation was at odds with President Trump’s repeated claims that he has a thriving relationship with Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, who presumably has had a strong hand in the retaliatory actions the country has taken.
The accusation was at odds with President Trump’s repeated claims that he has a thriving relationship with Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, who presumably has had a strong hand in the retaliatory actions the country has taken.
Yet President Trump did not back down.
After the meeting, he asserted in a tweet that the Chinese had placed an ad in The Des Moines Register and other papers, designed to resemble a news article, that highlighted the economic costs of President Trump’s trade battle with China.
“That’s because we are beating them on Trade, opening markets, and the farmers will make a fortune when this is over!” he wrote.
Before a subsequent meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, President Trump said, “I don’t like it when they attack our farmers,” referring to China.
He added, “They are trying to meddle in our elections, and we’re not going to let that happen, just as we’re not going to let that happen with Russia.”
As if to underscore the rift with China, President Trump announced that the United States and Japan had agreed to open negotiations for a trade agreement — something Japan has long resisted.
President Trump did not accuse China of using its cybercapabilities to interfere in the midterm elections, and there is no evidence it has done so.
“That’s because we are beating them on Trade, opening markets, and the farmers will make a fortune when this is over!” he wrote.
Before a subsequent meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, President Trump said, “I don’t like it when they attack our farmers,” referring to China.
He added, “They are trying to meddle in our elections, and we’re not going to let that happen, just as we’re not going to let that happen with Russia.”
As if to underscore the rift with China, President Trump announced that the United States and Japan had agreed to open negotiations for a trade agreement — something Japan has long resisted.
President Trump did not accuse China of using its cybercapabilities to interfere in the midterm elections, and there is no evidence it has done so.
The country has some of the most advanced capabilities among America’s cyberadversaries, and it has used them extensively to steal corporate secrets, obtain American weapons designs and monitor Chinese dissidents around the world.
China has also been accused of mounting politically related influence operations in Australia and New Zealand.
A senior administration official cited an array of other general Chinese propaganda efforts, including pressure on think tanks and film studios that distribute material critical of China, intimidation of Chinese-language media organizations in the United States and influence campaigns on college campuses with students and teachers.
China and the United States have escalated their trade dispute in recent weeks, with President Trump imposing tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese exports to the United States, and China striking back with tariffs on $60 billion in American goods.
In its early rounds of tariffs, China hit agricultural products, drawing an outcry from farm groups across the United States and consternation in many of the Midwestern and Plains states that President Trump carried in 2016.
This month, the president’s national security adviser, John R. Bolton, said the United States had seen efforts by China, as well as Iran, to interfere in elections.
“We’re monitoring it very, very closely,” Mr. Bolton said on Sept. 12.
China has also been accused of mounting politically related influence operations in Australia and New Zealand.
A senior administration official cited an array of other general Chinese propaganda efforts, including pressure on think tanks and film studios that distribute material critical of China, intimidation of Chinese-language media organizations in the United States and influence campaigns on college campuses with students and teachers.
China and the United States have escalated their trade dispute in recent weeks, with President Trump imposing tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese exports to the United States, and China striking back with tariffs on $60 billion in American goods.
In its early rounds of tariffs, China hit agricultural products, drawing an outcry from farm groups across the United States and consternation in many of the Midwestern and Plains states that President Trump carried in 2016.
This month, the president’s national security adviser, John R. Bolton, said the United States had seen efforts by China, as well as Iran, to interfere in elections.
“We’re monitoring it very, very closely,” Mr. Bolton said on Sept. 12.
“It’s just an ongoing process.”
“What we see is the capability and attempts,” he continued.
“What we see is the capability and attempts,” he continued.
“But in terms of what the influence will be — is and will be — we continue to analyze all that.”
The director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, regularly includes China on a list of countries with the capability of conducting broad cyberoperations in the United States, including interfering in elections.
The director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, regularly includes China on a list of countries with the capability of conducting broad cyberoperations in the United States, including interfering in elections.
For President Trump, presiding over the Security Council was an unusual exercise because it exposed him to public criticism — something rarely seen in his cabinet meetings or at his political rallies.
Russia took issue with his statements on Syria, and Bolivia’s leftist president, Evo Morales, assailed the United States for just about everything, going back to what he said was its role in ousting Iran’s democratically elected leader in a coup in 1953.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” President Trump said stonily when he was finished.
But President Trump also won praise from most of the members for his diplomatic opening to North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, as well as for his broader focus on the threat from chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with North Korea’s foreign minister, Ri Yong-ho, in New York.
Russia took issue with his statements on Syria, and Bolivia’s leftist president, Evo Morales, assailed the United States for just about everything, going back to what he said was its role in ousting Iran’s democratically elected leader in a coup in 1953.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” President Trump said stonily when he was finished.
But President Trump also won praise from most of the members for his diplomatic opening to North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, as well as for his broader focus on the threat from chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with North Korea’s foreign minister, Ri Yong-ho, in New York.
Mr. Pompeo said he intended to travel to Pyongyang next month to help prepare for a second summit meeting between President Trump and Mr. Kim.
In his meeting with Mr. Abe, President Trump pulled out what appeared to be a letter to him from Mr. Kim, which he said was further evidence of their good relationship.
Initially, the president had planned to devote the Security Council session exclusively to the threat posed by Iran.
In his meeting with Mr. Abe, President Trump pulled out what appeared to be a letter to him from Mr. Kim, which he said was further evidence of their good relationship.
Initially, the president had planned to devote the Security Council session exclusively to the threat posed by Iran.
The White House agreed to broaden the theme to proliferation after European officials protested that a focus on Iran would showcase dissent within the West, and that it could offer Iran a platform to respond.
Although he did not mention Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, he did fault the country, along with Iran, for enabling the “butchery” of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
But he also thanked the countries for agreeing to suspend, at least temporarily, their assault on the rebel stronghold of Idlib to avert a humanitarian crisis.
Although he did not mention Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, he did fault the country, along with Iran, for enabling the “butchery” of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
But he also thanked the countries for agreeing to suspend, at least temporarily, their assault on the rebel stronghold of Idlib to avert a humanitarian crisis.
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