Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang attends a news briefing in Beijing, China May 25, 2017. China Daily via REUTERS
Reuters: China demands U.S. 'dispel obstacles' to military ties and stop slander
BEIJING (Reuters) - China demanded the United States “dispel obstacles” to improving military ties and stop slandering it, amid growing tensions over trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of China meddling in the upcoming U.S. election.
Trump on Wednesday accused China of seeking to interfere in the Nov. 6 U.S. congressional elections, saying that Beijing did not want him or his Republican Party to do well because of his pugnacious stance on trade.
The two countries are already embroiled in an acrimonious trade war and have continued to butt heads over a list of sensitive issues including the disputed South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan, armed by Washington but claimed by Beijing.
On Saturday, China summoned the U.S. ambassador in Beijing and postponed joint military talks to protest Washington’s decision to sanction a Chinese military agency and its director for buying Russian fighter jets and a surface-to-air missile system.
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Update: US-China military relations sour days after Trump administration imposes sanctions (ABC)
Update #2: US-China Tensions Spilling Over into Military Arena (VOA/AP)
Update #3: Trump administration's sanctions on Chinese military agency widens rift between Washington and Beijing (FOX News)
WNU Editor: The trade war is now starting to impact all levels of U.S. - China relations .... U.S.-China Military Tensions Start to Rise as Trade War Deepens (Bloomberg). And while officials like US Defense Secretary Mattis believe things will work themselves out .... U.S.' Mattis looks for 'way ahead' after China scraps military talks (Reuters), I concur with this analysis that it will get worse .... China, US military ties may be in a downward spiral ‘for a long time’ (SCMP).
