30 January 2024 , 17:40
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping reportedly told US President Joe Biden that China would not interfere in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election.
The conversation took place during their November meeting in California, and was reiterated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to US national security adviser Jake Sullivan during a meeting in Bangkok over the weekend, sources told CNN.
The high-stakes meeting in California aimed to ease historically high military and economic tensions between the two superpowers. It was reported that President Biden initiated the brief exchange.
The reassurance from Chinese officials comes amidst growing concerns about foreign interference in US elections, with memories of Russian interference in the 2016 election still fresh in American officials' minds.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during a meeting with US President Joe Biden (AFP via Getty Images)The issue of foreign meddling in elections is sensitive, given past incidents involving Russia, Iran, Cuba, and China. Although China has historically taken a more passive role, concerns persist about the country's cyber capabilities, despite the assurances from China.
Chinese hackers have infiltrated key US infrastructure, causing fears that they could disrupt military responses or other critical systems. The FBI and the Justice Department have taken measures to counter Chinese cyber operations, but the threat remains.
Recent intelligence assessments suggest that Chinese operatives have become more aggressive in targeting US voters and candidates. Directives from senior Chinese officials to influence US policy and public opinion have intensified since 2020, according to a declassified intelligence document. Efforts include the use of fake social media accounts to attack US politicians online.
Intelligence assessments suggest that Chinese operatives have become more aggressive in targeting US voters and candidates (AFP via Getty Images)US officials are also preparing for the possibility of foreign interference from Russia, Iran, and China, employing tactics such as propaganda, hacking, or AI-powered influence campaigns.
Chris Krebs, who led the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's efforts to protect elections in 2020, warned that the combination of geopolitical turmoil and domestic political challenges could make the 2024 election susceptible to interference.
Krebs said: "Between expanding geopolitical turmoil and the chaotic domestic political environment, there will be plenty of motivations and opportunities for a wide range of threat actors to interfere in this year’s election. Throw in AI-powered influence campaigns and 2024 might be unlike any prior election."
The potential for Beijing to interfere in the 2024 US elections remains a significant concern, given the delicate nature of US-China relations. The Biden-Xi summit in California last November marked progress in re-establishing military-to-military communications, addressing issues related to Taiwan, and committing to cooperative efforts to curb fentanyl production.
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China had previously rebuffed US appeals for help as relations between the two global powers deteriorated, often responding that the US should look inward to solve its domestic problems and not blame them on China.
Talks were formally put on ice in 2022, when China suspended cooperation in several areas including narcotics to protest a visit to Taiwan by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
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The ice began to thaw in the lead-up to the Biden-Xi meeting in November 2023. A US Senate delegation pressed the fentanyl issue on a visit to Beijing in October and said that Chinese officials expressed sympathy for the victims of America's opioid crisis.
But China refused to discuss cooperation unless the US lifted sanctions on the Public Security Ministry's Institute of Forensic Science. The Commerce Department had imposed the sanctions in 2020, accusing the institute of complicity in human rights violations against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in China’s Xinjiang region.