- The US government wants to send athletes to the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in China in February, but there are no diplomatic representatives.
- The White House on Monday (local time) announced that the US announcement is a protest against the ongoing genocide in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses in China.
- Beijing responds angrily and announces resolute countermeasures.
With the boycott, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the US government wanted to send a “clear message.” When asked why the United States did not decide to boycott the Games entirely, they said they did not want to penalize athletes who trained extensively at the Games.
According to Saki, the United States informed international partners of the plans, leaving them to make their own decisions. It is unclear whether other countries will join the United States: the French government has announced that there will be a coordinated decision at the level of Europe.
It was told by government departments in Rome that Italy would not participate in a diplomatic boycott. According to her information, the government in Australia has not yet made a decision. New Zealand has already decided not to attend the Games at the diplomatic level – but the decision will depend primarily on epidemiological considerations, in particular travel restrictions.
China feels provoked
Even before Joe Biden formally announces the boycott, there is already a harsh reaction from China: Beijing is threatening “decisive countermeasures” without giving any more precise details. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Monday that the announcement was “a mockery of the Olympic spirit, a political provocation and an attack on 1.4 billion Chinese.”
This ad is a mockery of the Olympic spirit, a political provocation and an attack on 1.4 billion Chinese
There is significant political tension between the United States and China due to the human rights situations, but also due to many other issues. The relationship between the two countries fell to its lowest level since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979.
Boycott calls are repeated over and over again
The Winter Olympics will be held in China from February 4-20, 2022. The authoritarian country is accused of violating human rights, especially against minorities such as Uyghur Muslims.
Human rights groups cite the autonomous regions of Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong as examples of Chinese retaliation. Thus, the boycott’s demands are repeatedly raising their voice regarding the Winter Games there.
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