China wants Trump to stop 'scapegoating' Beijing. That seems unlikely

When it comes to the United States election, policymakers in China would rather their country was not a topic of conversation. In a pair of op-eds published by prominent Chinese state media outlets Thursday, the authors called on the Trump administration to stop "scapegoating" Beijing for American problems, particularly the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Any hope that renewed racial strife might lead US President Donald Trump to focus on domestic issues rather than China was quickly dashed, however, as he accepted the Republican Party's nomination in a speech at the White House Thursday night. 

In a preview of attack lines against his Democratic rival Joe Biden that are likely to play out with increasing intensity in the weeks ahead, Trump claimed Biden "voted to ship our jobs to China."
"(Biden) supported China's entry into the World Trade Organization, one of the greatest economic disasters of all time," Trump said, to boos from the crowd. "He cheered the rise of China as a positive development for America and the world. That's why China supports Joe Biden and desperately wants him to win."

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