US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022
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| US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 |
The United States has announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.
The White House has said that due to human rights concerns in China, no official delegation will be sent to the Games, but that American athletes can participate in the Games and have the full support of the government.
US President Joe Biden said last month that he was considering a diplomatic boycott of the event, while China has said it would take "retaliatory measures" in the event of a boycott.
White House Press Secretary Jane Psaki confirmed the boycott on Monday, saying "American athletes will have the full support of the government but the administration will not participate in the Olympics."
It should be noted that in 1980, the United States withdrew from the Moscow Olympics in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In return, the Soviet Union and its allies boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
White House Press Secretary Jane Psaki said the US government felt that "punishing athletes trained for these competitions is not the right thing to do, but not sending an official US delegation to these competitions" could send a clear message. '
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The move has been warmly welcomed by US political circles.
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said in a tweet that the Biden administration "has the right to deny" diplomatic presence at the Olympics.
Democratic Party leader and speaker Nancy Pelosi also praised the administration's position.
It should be noted that the United States accuses China of genocide of the Uighur community while China has consistently denied allegations of human rights violations against the Uighurs.
Tensions between the United States and China have also risen over China's suppression of political independence in Hong Kong.
Earlier, China had said it would take "retaliatory measures" if a boycott was announced.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Xiao Lijian said in a press briefing that "I want to emphasize that the Winter Olympics are not a stage for politics and manipulation."
Xiao Lijian also said that "if the United States insists on taking its own path, China will take concrete retaliatory measures."
It should be noted that high level government representatives from all over the world, including the United States, are usually present at the Olympic Games. US First Lady Jill Biden has also led the US delegation to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo earlier this year.