President Trump says China was caught trying to meddle in US midterm elections

While chairing the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, President Donald Trump accused China of trying to meddle in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.

What are the details?

"Regrettably, we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election, coming up in November. Against my administration," the president told the council.

Trump explained further, "They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade and we are winning on trade, we are winning at every level. We don't want them to meddle or interfere in our upcoming election."

During his speech, President Trump did not offer any evidence of the alleged meddling, but last week he tweeted:

China has openly stated that they are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers, ranchers and industrial workers because of their loyalty to me. What China does not understand is that these people are great patriots and fully understand that China has been taking advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They also know that I am the one that knows how to stop it. There will be great and fast economic retaliation against China if our farmers, ranchers and/or industrial workers are targeted!

China has openly stated that they are actively trying to impact and change our election by attacking our farmers, ranchers and industrial workers because of their loyalty to me. What China does not understand is that these people are great patriots and fully understand that.....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2018

.....China has been taking advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They also know that I am the one that knows how to stop it. There will be great and fast economic retaliation against China if our farmers, ranchers and/or industrial workers are targeted!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2018

This summer, the Chinese government released a cartoon aimed at American farmers, making the case that the U.S. trade war with China would be detrimental to its agriculture industry.

What else?

The president's accusations against China came after he repeatedly questioned whether other countries besides Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections.

Referring to election meddling by foreign governments during his first debate against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016, Trump said, "I don't think anybody knows it was Russia that broke into the DNC."

"She's saying Russia, Russia, Russia, but I don't — maybe it was," Trump said. "I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?"

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi, rejected the “unwarranted accusations” against Beijing.

“China has all along followed the principle of non-interference,” Wang said, The Guardian reported. “We did not and will not interfere in any country’s domestic affairs. We refuse to accept any unwarranted accusations against China.”