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Beijing Olympic spokeswoman Yan Jiarong
Photo: Xue Yuge / imago images / Xinhua
China interfered with political statements at the Winter Olympics when an official spokeswoman for the Beijing Games spoke about Taiwan and Xinjiang.
She explained that there is only "one China" - the first such statement by the host since the start of the Olympics.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams was asked at the daily press briefing about Taiwan's presence at Sunday's closing ceremony.
Beijing Games spokeswoman Yan Jiarong then said, "There is only one China."
In doing so, she reaffirmed China's attitude towards the democratically governed Taiwan, which China describes as its own "sacred" territory.
Taiwan laments the threat from China.
Later, spokeswoman Yan again insisted on making a statement on Xinjiang when a reporter asked a question to the IOC about the use of materials from China's Xinjiang region in clothing.
Human rights organizations and numerous countries consider the existence of concentration camps in Xijiang to be proven.
China is politicizing the Olympics and doesn't want it to be politicized
"The so-called forced labor in Xinjiang is a lie invented by conscious groups," Yan said, although the question was directed at the IOC spokesman.
At the same time, however, Yan stated that she was against the politicization of the Olympic Games.
That was also the previous attitude of China and the IOC: not a word about politics.
Human rights groups have accused some textile companies that source materials from Xinjiang of ignoring mistreatment of the region's Uyghur population.
China denies all allegations of abuse and has repeatedly denied claims that it runs a network of forced labor camps in Xinjiang.
Western countries accuse China of genocide against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
Amid the diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics by the United States, Britain and other Western countries over China's human rights record, the IOC has sought to keep politics out of the Beijing Games.
Experts say that just giving the games to China was a political statement.
There are penalties for political protests
Athletes were also asked to comply with IOC Rule 50, which prohibits political statements on the medal podium and at competitions.
The rule, which was slightly revised ahead of last year's Tokyo Games to allow some on-pitch protests if previously agreed with the IOC, had become the focus of attention in the run-up to the Olympics.
Political protests against China, on the other hand, could be punished.
"Any conduct or statement that violates the Olympic spirit, especially Chinese laws and regulations, is subject to penalties," said Yang Shu, chief of the Games' international relations department, before the start of the Olympics.
Under pressure from China, Taiwan takes part in the Olympic Games as "Chinese Taipei".
The IOC also always avoids the word Taiwan in its statements.
The communist leadership in China regards Taiwan only as part of the People's Republic and threatens to conquer it.
jan/Reuters
