The Biden administration is expected to announce a U.S. diplomatic boycott from the 2022 Olympic Games in protest of China’s human rights abuses, CNN reported Sunday night.
A diplomatic boycott would mean no U.S. government officials would attend the Games, but U.S. Olympic athletes would still be allowed to compete.
A full boycott was not expected.
President Joe Biden said that he was considering the idea of a diplomatic boycott in November after both Republican and Democratic lawmakers advocated for one due to China’s human rights abuses.
In China, censors are already at work with the words “US Olympic boycott” blocked on Sina Weibo.
This comes after sources tell CNN that the Biden admin is set to announce this week a diplomatic boycott of the games —
An act China has condemned as “politicizing sports.” pic.twitter.com/A4qwtq8oQm
— Kristie Lu Stout✌🏽 (@klustout) December 6, 2021
China has recently been criticized for cracking down on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, its policies towards Tibet and Taiwan, and for detaining and abusing Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang—the latter of which has been classified by the State Department and some European countries as “genocide.”
In response to the news, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they would take countermeasures against the Biden administration if the diplomatic boycott were to go ahead.
“The U.S. should stop politicizing sports and hyping up the so-called ‘diplomatic boycott’ so as not to affect China-US dialogue and cooperation in important areas,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a news conference Monday.
“The Winter Olympics is not a stage for political show and political manipulation.”
The calls for a boycott from the Games have only escalated in recent weeks with Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai disappearing from public view after making sexual assault accusations against a senior official in the Chinese Communist Party.
A diplomatic boycott is considered as the best way to for the U.S. to hold China accountable for its actions while not punishing the athletes.
The U.S. has not fully boycotted an Olympic Games since 1980.
The Olympics are still not just about sports. The only reason that countries like China continue to bid on the games is to present a massive global marketing effort of their ‘national brand.’ That’s the only reason that most of the world spends on the Olympics. Anything that impacts that will be felt by China. We can debate over to what degree, but anybody who thinks the Olympics are just about the athletes are burying their heads in the sand.
For better or worse, there are TONS of other interests in the Olympic Games.
There is no automatic right of American politicians to attend & asfIk no invitation has been extended.
So all hat no cattle .
it’s OK, Hungary’s and Turkey’s dictators will send more overweight, alcoholic politicians to fill up the first class seats and hotel rooms
Still don’t see the point of a diplomatic boycott as if we’re not still doing full economic business with them.
Symbolic gestures that won’t actually impact anything? Why I never.
Legit doesn’t make a difference. Don’t think china will give one f just because the big America won’t attend their games
Good
This is a good start. Next, I’d like to see Lebron James step up to the podium on Christmas Day, and say Xi Jinping reminds him of Winnie the Pooh.
I don’t think he will do it. I would have respected him more if he did.
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️
I hope you’re not saying that the US is full of snowflakes for a diplomatic boycott. This was a bipartisan agreement for China’s genocide of Uighur Muslims, occupation of Tibet and Taiwan, and for attacking pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong.
The right has gone so anti-mainstream media that they’re now pro communism
I’m dying 💀
Get your facts straight before commenting. It would make your statement more credible. China has never occupied Taiwan, but claims to unify (militarily if necessary) it if Taiwan declares independence.
That’s not true. China occupied Taiwan on behalf of the Allied Forces for a few years after WW2.
At any rate, I think the OP was referencing the recent aggressions toward Taiwan which, given China’s other activities in the waters surrounding its own, is inevitably going to lead to an occupation, barring international intervention.
The current regimen in mainland, the people’s republic of China, never occupied Taiwan. PRC wasn’t in power until 1949. Republic of China took over Taiwan in 1945 from Japan when Japan surrendered at the end of WW2. ROC retreated to Taiwan when it lost the civil war in the mainland to the forces led by the chinese communist party, which established the PRC in 1949.
Yeah but it’s pretty funny that you quibbled on his details and then got your details wrong, right?
You said, and I quote, “China.”
We as americans officially recognize only one China, that is the PRC, but are obligated to defend Taiwan by law. So when I said “China” I meant “PRC”. I don’t care what you think “China” really was/is. In international competition, “China” = PRC, Taiwan = Chinese Taipei
I didn’t know MAGA has gone full communist now
First, Russia and now China.
Nah they’re more like pro authoritarian regime, with a pinch of Taliban-ish ideas
None of them can eloquate why they think this diplomatic boycott is bad, except for “let’s go brandon.”
Still haven’t heard anybody explain to me why they think the US should send politicians to the Winter Olympics.