And three.
The United Kingdom formalized its diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Wednesday (February 4 to 20, 2022).
It is the third country to take this decision to protest against human rights abuses by China, in particular in Xinjiang, a region in the north-west of the country where the Uyghur Muslim minority lives.
The United States on Monday and then Australia on Wednesday also announced plans not to send any government officials to the event.
"There will indeed be a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said during the weekly parliamentary question-and-answer session, stressing that a sports boycott is "not the policy" of his. government.
"No British minister" will go there, added the tenant of 10 Downing Street.
France, for its part, announced that it would coordinate at the European level before taking a decision on the subject.
Italy, which will host the next Winter Olympics in 2026, has already indicated that it does not intend to join the movement, just like Russia.
Read also "A sign towards public opinion": understand everything about the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics by the United States
By being present, “the American diplomatic representation would treat these Games as if nothing had happened, despite the gross human rights violations and China's atrocities in Xinjiang.
And we just can't do that, ”White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki argued on Monday.
"Australia will not go back on the strong position it has taken to defend its interests, and it is obviously not surprising that we do not send Australian officials to these Games," said the Prime Minister of Australia. Scott Morrison, also mentioning human rights violations in the Xinjiang region and Beijing's reluctance to meet with Australian officials for discussions.
"Everyone does not care whether they come or not"
Asked at a press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese diplomacy spokesman Wang Wenbin said his country had never intended to invite senior Australian officials.
“No one cares if they come or not,” he said.
“Their political politics and their little games will not change the success of the Olympic Games”.
The Canberra decision "shows for all to see that the Australian government is blindly following in the footsteps of a certain country," said Wang Wenbin, without naming the United States.
