China refutes United States Vice President Mike Pence's election meddling and other allegations

Beijing has refuted United States Vice President Mike Pence's allegations about Chinese interference in US internal affairs and elections, claiming the same to be "groundless"and based on hearsay evidence.

Addressing a presser, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "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 elections. 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. The efforts made by anyone to distort the facts are doomed to be in vain."

Chunying stated that it is "very ridiculous" of the US to brand their exchanges and cooperation with China as being the latter's intervention in its internal affairs.

"China always follows the principle of non-interference in others' internal affairs and we have no interest in meddling in US internal affairs and elections. The international community has already known fully well who wantonly infringes upon others' sovereignty, interferes in others' internal affairs and undermines others' interests. Any malicious slander on China is futile," Chunying said.

He further urged the US to "correct its wrongdoing, stop groundlessly accusing and slandering China and harming China's interests and China-US ties, and take concrete actions to maintain the sound and steady development of China-US relations."

Pence has recently launched a scathing attack on China, accusing them of using "predatory" economic practices and military aggression against the US and trying to cripple President Donald Trump's chances of winning re-election.

The Vice President also said that China should follow Taiwan's lead in democracy, which, Pence added, will always be recognised by the US as being a better path for the Chinese people.

Responding to the same, Chunying said, "There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. The US has no right at all to pick on relevant countries who chose to develop relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. "Taiwan independence" forces and their separatist activities pose the gravest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

Addressing Pence's "reckless harassment" allegations on the near collision between a Chinese military ship and a US Navy ship near the disputed area of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, Chunying said that China has "indisputable sovereignty" on South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters.

"Installing necessary national defense facilities on the Nansha Islands which are our territory is China exercising its right of self-preservation and self-defense as a sovereign state in accordance with international law. It has nothing to do with 'militarization'," he added.

He also refuted Pence's allegations of human rights violations by China by saying, "The Chinese government attaches high importance to protecting and promoting human rights. People of all ethnic groups in China are entitled to full freedom of religious belief in accordance with law.

-ANI