US intelligence claims China is interfering in the upcoming election

Reuters writes that US government officials have detected attempts by the Chinese government to influence the upcoming presidential election.

US intelligence agents told the press that “foreign influence actors” from China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba would try to generate doubt about the election results.

Regardless of which candidate wins on Election Day, these operatives could try to undermine US democracy and create division among the American populace, by contesting the electoral system.

However, as Newsweek points out, US intelligence officials singled out China as directly interfering in the election, by having actors linked to Beijing in low-level, low-turnout elections.

These operatives would seek to influence US policy to align with the goals of the Chinese Communist Party, particularly when it comes to the economy.

The Chinese government, led by Xi Jinping, could also try to undermine the relationship between the United States and the island of Taiwan, which Beijing considers a rebel province belonging to China.

Reuters provides one case, in which pro-China operatives posed as US antiwar activities on social media, decrying Donald Trump as a fraud and Joe Biden as a coward.

Back in September, former New York governor aide Linda Sun and her husband were charged with multiple counts of being a secret agent working in favor of the Chinese government.

Beijing has denied the accusations with Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United States labeling these claims as “groundless speculation”.

“China is not interested in the US congressional elections, and we have no intention and will not interfere in it”, the Chinese diplomat told Newsweek. “Meanwhile, we hope that the U.S. side will not make accusations against China in the election.”

Representatives of the Chinese government repeatedly claiming that the United States is, in turn, trying to create a “strategic anxiety” about China, Newsweek highlights.

However, China isn’t the only nation seeking to influence the upcoming US presidential election.

According to Reuters, Cuba is seeking to target Latin and Spanish-speaking US voters to promote a candidate favorable to their regime.

Reuters write that Russia, meanwhile, may be using AI technology to create fake websites that look like authentic US-based news outlets.

Iran could also be targeting US voters, with Tehran-aligned online actors posing as activists in order to ultimately influence America’s policy in the Middle East.

Will any of these foreign actors play a role in the outcome of the November election? It seems unlikely that they could have a major say on what the US voters think, but it's important to keep an eye, just in case.

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