While the Beijing Winter Olympics will not start until February 4, several countries have already announced the “diplomatic boycott” of the international event. Enough to make China jump.
United States
It is the first country to have decided not to send any representative to Beijing. The United States made this decision because of “the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang,” the White House announced.
The American diplomacy estimated that by being present, it “would treat these Games as if nothing had happened, despite the flagrant human rights violations and the atrocities of China in Xinjiang”, said Jen Psaki, the spokesperson. of the White House.
Thus, no representative of the US government will attend the Games. The athletes will be able to participate in the competition.
Faced with this decision, China has expressed its anger. During a press briefing, Zhao Lijia, spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, assured that the United States “will pay the price for their bad move”.
The latter described the accusations of Western countries on the situation in Xinjiang as “the lie of the century”.
Australia
Like its American ally, Australia has also decided not to send a diplomatic representative. This choice of Canberra comes amid “disagreement” with China on a number of issues, including Australian laws on foreign interference and the recent decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Since 2018, trade tensions have grown steadily between the two countries. For two years, diplomatic relations have been frozen.
In addition, Australia’s demand for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic is said to have greatly angered China.
Asked during a press briefing, Chinese diplomacy said it had never intended to invite senior Australian officials. “Everyone does not care whether they come or not,” said Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the same diplomacy.
The United Kingdom
During a weekly question-and-answer session in front of Parliament, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in turn announced a “diplomatic boycott”.
There are many sources of tension between London and Beijing. Between the non-respect for human rights in Xinjiang, the decline in freedoms in the former British colony of Hong Kong, or the exclusion of the Chinese giant Huawei in British 5G infrastructures.
China has yet to react to this announcement.
CANADA
Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister announced yesterday that Canada joined the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in the boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. “We are deeply troubled by the human rights violations by the Chinese government,” he explained at a press conference.
Justin Trudeau stressed the importance “of being in partnership with allies in the world when we have an approach against China”.
