The White House said on Monday (December 6) that US government officials would boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to China’s human rights “atrocities,” just a few weeks after talks aimed at easing tensions between the two superpowers. Rear.
For months, some congressmen and human rights groups have been encouraging diplomatic boycotts, allowing athletes to freely travel to Beijing to participate in competitions.
Before Monday’s announcement, Beijing threatened to take unspecified “resolute countermeasures” against any such actions, which would surely increase tensions in relations that have been at their lowest point in decades.
The administration of President Joe Biden has emphasized what Washington calls the genocide of a minority of Muslims in the Xinjiang region of western China.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a daily press conference: “Faced with China’s serious human rights violations and atrocities in Xinjiang, US diplomatic or official representatives will treat these games as usual, and we can’t do that at all.” People’s Republic of China.
“The American players have our full support,” Psaki added. “When we cheer for them at home, we will support them 100%.”
Although Biden held a video conference with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month to stabilize relations, the move still exists.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington called the boycott a “political manipulation” because it did not issue invitations to American politicians.
“In fact, no one cares about whether these people will come or not. This will have no impact on the success of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics,” said Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the embassy.
Secretary of State Anthony Brinken stated that the United States has held consultations with allies on the “common approach” of the Beijing Olympics. It is unclear whether they will follow the example of the United States.
The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement: “Canada is still deeply disturbed by the disturbing reports of China’s human rights violations.” “We were informed of the US decision and we will continue to discuss this matter with our partners and allies. .”
The governments of Australia and Japan stated that they are still considering their position at the Olympic Games that will open on February 4.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters: “We will consider the meaning of the Olympics and our diplomatic relations, and hope to make our own decisions in the way that best suits our national interests.”
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson stated that his country would not send government officials, but the decision was mainly based on concerns about COVID-19 and was made before the US boycott.
According to New Zealand’s national broadcaster TVNZ, Robertson told reporters: “We have repeatedly expressed our concerns about human rights to China-just when the Prime Minister was talking to President Xi recently.” “They are very clear about our views on human rights. But we have already made the decision not to participate.”
Stefano Sannino, the head of the European Union’s foreign affairs department, said on Friday that the boycott is an issue of individual member states, not the EU’s common foreign policy.
Russian President Putin is the only leader of a major country to accept China’s invitation.
Ned Price, a spokesman for the US State Department, told reporters that the government will not regulate private sector practices, but said that companies should be “fully aware” of what is happening in Xinjiang.
Neil Pearson, the former president of CBS Sports, who was responsible for overseeing the Olympics broadcast rights transaction, said that the diplomatic boycott puts corporate Olympic sponsors in an “embarrassed position,” but this is not compared with a full boycott, including athletes. worry.
A spokesperson for Comcast’s NBCUniversal stated that it will broadcast the Olympics as planned.
phosphorusPotential revenge
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has been criticized for turning a blind eye to China’s correct record, said the Olympics should “beyond politics.”
Sarah Hirshland, chief executive of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, stated that the U.S. team is “excited and ready to make this country proud.”
Many American athletes believe that it is unfair to ban them from participating in the Olympics. Some American lawmakers who support not sending officials say that it is in the interest of the United States to play the national anthem in Beijing when Americans win medals.
Human rights organizations welcomed the move, but said Washington can take more steps to hold China accountable.
Experts say that for China, which denies all human rights violations, Biden’s move poses little threat to the Olympics, and is more like an optical problem that Beijing has exacerbated through threats of retaliation.
Lisa Del Penerotti, associate professor of sports management at the George Washington University School of Business, said: “Not to mention this will be a non-story.” “In any case, we usually don’t send large government delegations, especially in the COVID era.”
Beijing has expressed opposition to the politicization of sports, but in the past it has punished American sports leagues, including the American Basketball Association, for crossing political red lines.
Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said Beijing’s options for retaliation include restricting bilateral dialogue, delaying visas, or restricting Olympic sports delegations and journalists.
The United States will next host the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, which raises questions about how China might respond.
