Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Motorsports
  • Tennis

US announces diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

by REUTERS

WASHINGTON - BEIJING Dec 06, 2021 - 9:55 pm GMT+3
A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the logos for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, China, Nov. 9, 2021. (AP Photos)
A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the logos for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, China, Nov. 9, 2021. (AP Photos)
by REUTERS Dec 06, 2021 9:55 pm
RECOMMENDED
Lionel Messi of Argentina touches the World Cup trophy as he passes it after winning the golden ball award during the awards ceremony after the FIFA World Cup 2022 final between Argentina and France at Lusail stadium, Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 18 2022. (EPA Photo)

Is Lionel Messi's G.O.A.T status officially sealed?

QATAR-WORLD-CUP-2022

The United States government announced on Monday it will not send government officials to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in objection to China’s human rights practices, in a move that comes after Beijing pledged unspecified “countermeasures” against any such diplomatic boycott.

President Joe Biden said last month that he was considering such a diplomatic boycott amid criticism of China's human rights record, including what Washington says is genocide against minority Muslims in its western region of Xinjiang.

"The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games given the PRC's ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told a daily press briefing.

"U.S. diplomatic or official representation would treat these games as business as usual in the face of the PRC's egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang, and we simply can't do that," Psaki said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

The diplomatic boycott, which has been encouraged by some members of the U.S. Congress for months, would not affect the attendance of American athletes, she said.

"The athletes on Team USA have our full support. We will be behind them 100% as we cheer them on from home."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a news briefing earlier in Beijing that those calling for a boycott are "grandstanding" and should stop "so as not to affect the dialogue and cooperation between China and the United States in important areas."

"If the U.S. insists in wilfully clinging to its course, China will take resolute countermeasures," he said, without elaborating.

The United States is next due to host an Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles, raising the question of how China might respond in the interim.

Beijing says it opposes the politicization of sports, but it has punished American sports leagues in the past, including the National Basketball Association, for running afoul of its political red lines.

Chinese officials point out that they have received more than 1,500 applications from the U.S. Olympic Committee, which is responsible for submitting names of U.S. athletes to attend the Winter Games, set for February.

Nonetheless, they cite strict COVID-19 restrictions for plans to limit spectator attendance, and Chinese state media have said Beijing does not intend to invite Western politicians who have threatened a boycott.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is the only leader of a major country who has accepted China's invitation to attend.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said the United States has been consulting with allies and partners on a "shared approach" to the Beijing Games in light of their concerns about China's human rights record.

Stefano Sannino, chief of the European Union's diplomatic service, said on Friday after meetings with U.S. officials in Washington that it was important to keep up pressure on China over abuses in Xinjiang, but that any boycott was in the domain of individual members states, not common EU foreign policy.

RECOMMENDED
Lionel Messi of Argentina touches the World Cup trophy as he passes it after winning the golden ball award during the awards ceremony after the FIFA World Cup 2022 final between Argentina and France at Lusail stadium, Lusail, Qatar, Dec. 18 2022. (EPA Photo)

Is Lionel Messi's G.O.A.T status officially sealed?

QATAR-WORLD-CUP-2022
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 06, 2021 11:39 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    beijing winter olympics us-china relations diplomatic boycott human rights
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    An amateur photographer Vincent Cornelissen captures a bean goose flying upside down. (Photo from Instagram @b0unce1971)

    It is showing off: Photographer captures goose flying upside down

    ANIMALS-ARCHIVES
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye registers better-than-expected current account gap

    current-account-balance

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Meet latest addition to Turkish gendarmerie's aquatic search dogs
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021