WASHINGTON – The United States will launch a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing to protest China’s human rights abuses, the White House confirmed on Monday, a move that China has announced. vowed to greet him with “firm countermeasures.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said US athletes will continue to compete and will “have our full support,” but added, “We will not contribute to the fanfare.” of the Olympics.”
“The official or diplomatic mission of the United States will treat these games as normal business in the face of the PRC’s atrocities and serious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and we simply can’t do it,” Psaki told reporters at a news conference on Monday.
“We have a fundamental commitment to promoting human rights. And we feel strongly in our position and we will continue to take actions to promote human rights in China and beyond.” “, added Psaki.
President Joe Biden will this week host the Democratic Summit at the White House, a virtual meeting of civil society leaders and experts from more than 100 countries that will take place Thursday and Wednesday. Six. The administration has said that Biden intends to use the summons “to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms and initiatives to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, DN.J., called such a diplomatic boycott “a necessary step to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to human rights in the face of needless abuses.” conscience of the Chinese government.”
He called on “other allies and partners who share our values to join the United States in this diplomatic boycott.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian accused US politicians of being too extreme about not sending dignitaries to events that China hopes will showcase economic development and public strength. technology of this country.
Speaking to reporters at a daily briefing, Zhao said such a move would be a “complete political provocation”, but gave no details on how China might pay. chopsticks.
Human rights advocates and lawmakers in the US who support the boycott say it is a necessary step. They cited China’s poor record on human rights as an excuse, saying China was using the Olympics to whitewash its ill treatment of civil rights activists and dissidents. politics and ethnic minorities.
“Unless invited, American politicians continue to hype the so-called diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which is completely unacceptable,” Zhao told reporters at the daily briefing. It’s all fantasy and grandeur.” “If the US side does not want to go its own way, China will take resolute countermeasures.”
Sending high-level delegations to each Olympics has long been a tradition in the United States and other countries. Then-President George W. Bush attended the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. First Lady Jill Biden led the American delegation to this year’s Tokyo Summer Olympics, and the third gentleman. Two Doug Emhoff led a delegation to the Paralympic Games.
The diplomatic boycott comes as the United States tries to stabilize its turbulent relationship with Beijing, even as it maintains a tough approach to trade and conflicts over China’s actions. for Taiwan, human rights, Hong Kong and the South China Sea. CNN was the first to report that an announcement is expected this week.
Beijing has reacted harshly to all criticism of the United States, accusing it of meddling in its internal affairs and imposing a visa ban on American politicians it considers anti-China. .
It is unclear who the Americans may have sent to Beijing for the Olympics, and Zhao’s comments seem to suggest that China has not renewed any invitations.
Australia, whose relations with China are not in dispute, has also raised the possibility of a diplomatic boycott.
