Having failed to establish a detente that would keep relations calm through the November elections, China is warning that the Trump administration’s policy toward Beijing might lead to war.

Take what Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of China’s preeminent western-focus propaganda outlet, had to say on Friday. Writing in the Global Times, Hu observed that “the US should be reminded to distance itself from China’s core interests. Don’t play with fire off China’s coast, don’t really stir up conflict over Taiwan question, and don’t overdo it in the South China Sea. If the Trump administration just wants to create China-U.S. tensions to help his re-election campaign, and is not really ready for a military showdown, then be careful for the next few months, and don’t go too far.”