China: US to pay price for diplomatic boycott of Winter Games

Beijing is outraged by the Biden administration's decision not to send representatives to the Winter Olympics on the basis of "lies and rumors", and has promised to respond accordingly.

The diplomatic boycott has widespread support in Congress, but some have called for a step further - a full boycott similar to the one imposed on the Soviet Union in 1980

News agencies

07/12/2021

Tuesday, 07 December 2021, 11:59 Updated: 14:16

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In video: US competes in Beijing Olympics (Photo: Reuters)

China threatened today (Tuesday) that the United States will "pay a price" for its decision to impose a diplomatic boycott on the Beijing Winter Games.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Beijing warned of "determined response measures", but did not elaborate.

Washington justified its decision not to send official representatives to the Winter Olympics in early February on human rights violations committed by China, while American athletes would not be affected by the move.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a press briefing that the United States was violating "political neutrality in sports" and said the boycott was "based on lies and rumors".

Beijing denies allegations of genocide in the Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang province, and opposes "foreign intervention" in Hong Kong, following harsh criticism of the city's repression of liberties.

In addition, calls for a boycott of the Beijing Games - including a boycott of the athletes themselves - have intensified following the disappearance of tennis player Feng Shui since she accused a senior party official of sexual assault.

The World Women's Tennis Association announced last week that it was suspending all of its competitions in China, due to “heavy doubts” about Feng’s condition.

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Emblem of the Winter Games in Beijing, China, December 7, 2021 (Photo: Reuters)

Representatives from around the world tend to attend Olympic ceremonies and games, as happened last summer in Tokyo, but White House spokeswoman Jen Saki said yesterday that the United States would not be part of the "celebration" of the Beijing Games. She said the absence of a United States diplomatic mission would "send a clear message." She said, "Diplomatic or official representation of the United States will treat these games as business as usual in the face of serious human rights violations and atrocities in Xinjiang. We just can not do that."

However, Saki added that the administration does not believe it is right to punish the athletes "who trained for this moment".

The Chinese social network Vivo, this morning censored the search for the term "American diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games." Most of the comments to the post published by the official newspaper The Times on the announcement were deleted, and only eight out of about 1,500 remained.

"The Olympics are for athletes, what has that got to do with politicians? Even if you boycott, the only people you hurt are your countrymen (including athletes)," one comment read.

US President Joe Biden talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a virtual summit at the White House, November 15, 2021 (Photo: Reuters)

In the United States, the diplomatic boycott has been praised by both Democratic and Republican politicians. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the United States and the world could not "continue as if there was nothing wrong with holding the Olympics in a country that commits genocide."

However, some U.S. politicians have said the diplomatic boycott is not enough. "A half-step" and argued that the administration should have opted for a "full boycott" of the Games. Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. In 2028 the Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles.

Other Western countries are also considering the move.

British Deputy Prime Minister Dominique Raeb said the kingdom would decide "in due course" whether to join the boycott, adding that he would not attend the Olympics.

Officials in Japan and Australia have said they are discussing the move.

New Zealand, for its part, has claimed that its representatives will not take part in the Beijing Games due to fears of the corona plague.

"But we have made clear to China on many occasions our concerns about human rights," Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson told reporters.

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