China denied on Monday “groundless” reports that Chinese entities supplied Tehran with satellite images of a military base housing US troops in Jordan before and after an Iranian strike killed three American soldiers.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Iran’s July 17 missile strikes on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, citing unnamed American officials.
The journal did not name the Chinese entities involved or suggest Beijing was directly responsible.
“We firmly oppose groundless suspicion and accusations without evidence,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference on Monday.
US President Donald Trump downplayed the accusations, which could escalate tensions ahead of a scheduled visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to the White House on September 24.
“You know, when they say that China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.
“That’s what we do. They basically do what we do,” he said.
When pressed by US officials, Chinese officials requested verification of the transfer of satellite imagery and refused to acknowledge that Chinese enterprises were involved in delivering satellite photographs to Tehran, according to the Journal late Friday.
Trump has cautioned Beijing not to sell weapons to Iran, and in May, Washington sanctioned three Chinese satellite businesses for facilitating Iran’s military activities.
China is Iran’s primary economic partner, purchasing a significant portion of its oil output, as well as a key diplomatic ally.
Nonetheless, Trump stated of Xi on Sunday that “he’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well.”
When asked if he would ever allow Chinese cars to be marketed in the United States, Trump responded, “I haven’t. I’m the one who kept them out. Tariffs kept them out.
