Beijing/Washington D.C.: In face of an already worsening diplomatic relationship particularly over the issues of Taiwan, Xinjiang, and reported disappearance of the Grand Slam doubles champion Peng Shuai who had made a #MeToo accusation against one of China’s top leaders, China today accused the USA of politicizing sports after reports surfaced that the US President Joe Biden was considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, due to be held in February next year.
Yesterday, Biden had told reporters about the possibility of a “diplomatic boycott” of the Winter Olympic Games that is hosted by China. The White House press secretary Jen Psaki, when asked, said during their virtual meeting this week, Winter Olympics had not figured in the talks between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Psaki though also referred to Xinjiang and identified it as an area of concerns. “You’ve seen not just in words we’ve used but certainly in actions we’ve taken at the G7 and other sanctions that we have serious concerns about the human rights abuses we’ve seen in Xinjiang. And certainly there are a range of factors as we look at what our presence would be.”
China stated that the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games is a stage for all winter sports athletes around the world, and it is them that should be in the spotlight. “Politicizing sports violates the Olympic spirit and undermines the interests of all athletes,” the Chinese foreign office said.
The Chinese foreign office spokesperson Zhao Lijian, stated that China firmly believes that, under the guidance of the Olympic spirit and with concerted efforts of all sides, it will deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic Games for the world and promote the healthy development of the international sports cause.
While China has accused the USA of making “illegal” and “invalid” claims about Taiwan, Lijian stressed today that Xinjiang-related issues are purely China’s internal affairs that brook no foreign interference under any pretext and in any way. “The US falsely accuses China of committing genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang. This would only give the Chinese people a good laugh. The US also makes accusations on China over other issues, which are untenable as they run counter to facts,” Lijian said.
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On the American consideration of boycotting the Winter Olympic Games in China, Psake though that said that although there were no updates on the timeline, “Obviously, the Olympics are in February, and I want to give the President and the national security team a little space. But as any updates are there to provide — we certainly understand the interest, and we’ll provide them to all”.
– global bihari bureau
