China, US in Talks Over Xi Jinping's September Visit Despite Election Interference Row

China is in talks with the US over the planned visit of President Xi Jinping to Washington in September, signalling the trip remains on track despite recent tensions over election meddling allegations, The Print reported.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said head-of-state diplomacy provides irreplaceable strategic guidance for US-China relations, PTI reported. Lin said the two sides had maintained communication regarding arrangements for the interactions later this year.

US Secretary Marco Rubio voiced confidence that the remarks by Donald Trump would not affect the visit. Rubio struck an optimistic note before flying to the Philippines to attend a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers.

Diplomatic Preparations Underway

On Sunday, Rubio struck an upbeat note before leaving for the Philippines. "We anticipate that the trip is happening in September," Rubio said, as reported by the South China Morning Post. "They’ve continued to send over their teams to prepare for it, and I’ve heard nothing otherwise." He added, "I have no reason to believe that they won’t be coming."

Rubio was expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was also in the Philippines for the ASEAN meeting. Lin said Wang would attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on July 22 but declined to confirm a Rubio-Wang meeting on the sidelines. Wang will also attend the SCO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, from July 23 to 25. Earlier, reports indicated Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu was expected to visit Washington and Miami to prepare for the visit.

Election Interference Row

The planned visit came under cloud after Trump alleged that China meddled in the US presidential elections through "illicit acquisition" of 220 million voter files, including personal information. China rejected the allegations and dismissed his claims as fabricated and a malicious smear, asking him to stop making baseless allegations.

Lin said last Friday that China has always upheld the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs and has neither any interest in nor ever interfered in US elections. During his visit to Beijing last year, Trump had invited Xi to make a reciprocal visit to the US in September, and Xi accepted.

Domestic Political Pressures

Chinese analysts said Trump’s latest allegations may derail Xi’s planned visit to the US. Zhao Minghao, a professor at Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies, said Trump appeared to have taken a harder line on China since returning from his Beijing trip in May, amid criticism at home that he had gone soft on China. Trump also railed against communism in a speech a week earlier.

"All these will have some impact on US-China relations," Zhao said, as reported by the South China Morning Post. "Trump’s purpose is, on one hand, to display toughness on China. And on the other, it’s also with an eye on this year’s midterm elections." The attacks could complicate Xi’s possible US visit, Zhao said.