If China were to act on U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprising request on Thursday to start an investigation into Democratic rival Joe Biden and his family, it would be breaking one of its stated rules: do not meddle in another nation’s internal politics.Beijing also stands to gain little by helping Trump undermine a political opponent, even in the midst of a bitter trade war that China is eager to end, China experts say.
The Republican president, the subject of an impeachment inquiry in Congress for asking Ukraine’s president to investigate the Bidens, upped the ante by calling on China to “start an investigation” into 2020 presidential hopeful Biden and his businessman son Hunter. Beijing has a long-standing public policy of not interfering in foreign countries’ politics. Beijing does “not want to be involved or seen involved in the U.S. presidential elections,” said Jeffrey Bader, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama for national security and a top Asia advisor.
The Republican president, the subject of an impeachment inquiry in Congress for asking Ukraine’s president to investigate the Bidens, upped the ante by calling on China to “start an investigation” into 2020 presidential hopeful Biden and his businessman son Hunter. Beijing has a long-standing public policy of not interfering in foreign countries’ politics. Beijing does “not want to be involved or seen involved in the U.S. presidential elections,” said Jeffrey Bader, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama for national security and a top Asia advisor.
