The White House has stepped up its showdown with China, casting it as the new top bogeyman, with Mike Pence declaring that the notorious Russian interference and meddling ‘pales’ in comparison to Beijing’s influence in US affairs. China is increasingly assuming the role of number one villain for the White House administration, ahead of the US midterm election and amid the spiraling trade war between the two nations, the US vice president is due to announce in a speech this week at the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington, DC.