In less than two months, exactly on February 4, the flame will light up in Beijing's national stadium, the “Bird's Nest”, to kick off the Beijing Winter Games.
In the meantime, diplomatic fires are set ablaze all over the world.
On Monday, the White House, ignoring Chinese warnings, announced that the United States will send its athletes to participate in the Games but that no American diplomatic representative will be present due to human rights violations by China , particularly in the predominantly Muslim region of Xinjiang (northwest).
Asked to react during a press briefing, the spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Zhao Lijian, for his part did not hide the anger of the Chinese authorities at such a position and accused the United States for having violated the principle of political neutrality in sport.
The shock wave of this decision is now being felt on European soil.
And does not seem to stop.
Tuesday morning, France indeed "took good note" of the announcement by the United States of a "diplomatic boycott" of the Winter Olympics and will "coordinate" with the other countries of the European Union on this file.
"We take good note of the choice of the Americans, reacted the Elysee, after the announcement of Washington.
We will coordinate at European level.
When we have human rights concerns, we tell the Chinese.
(…) We took sanctions on Xinjiang last March.
"
The Olympics are scheduled for February 4 to 20, but due to restrictions imposed by China on the entry of foreigners in the name of the fight against Covid-19, few world politicians are expected to travel from Beijing.
With the notable exception of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who accepted the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
