China upset by U.S. Republican platform on South China Sea, Tibet

China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the U.S. Republican Party to stop making "groundless accusations" against China in its party platform, which says China practices cultural genocide in Tibet and has ludicrous claims in the South China Sea. China's government has generally avoided making direct comments about the election, wary of being seen to interfere, though in April Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei called Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump an "irrational type" due to his tariffs proposal on imported Chinese goods. In an English-language statement issued via the official Xinhua news agency on Thursday, the ministry said the Republican platform contained "accusations about China on issues related to Taiwan, Tibet, trade and the South China Sea" and are an interference in China's internal affairs.