Australia joins US 'diplomatic boycott' of Beijing Winter Olympics

By Al Mayadeen Net
Source: Agencies
8 Dec 2021 08:56

Australia announces its 'diplomatic boycott' of the Beijing Winter Olympics after the US announced the same move Monday.

Australia seems to follow suit in many US decisions, however hostile.

On Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Canberra will not be sending any officials to February's Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing "human rights abuses" against Muslim minorities in Xinxiang and "disagreements" with China that have only worsened relations.

Recently, the Biden administration announced that the US will not be sending any US officials to Beijing, citing the same logic and rhetoric.

"Australia will not step back from the strong position we've had standing up for Australia's interests and obviously it is of no surprise that we wouldn't be sending Australian officials to those Games," Morrison said.

In response to the US-led "diplomatic boycott," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canberra said the decision "runs counter to its (Canberra's) publicly pronounced expectation to improve China-Australia relations," and against Morrison's claims that negotiations between Canberra and Beijing have "always been open."

Furthermore, the spokesperson said that Australian athletes are welcome in the Olympics, wishing them "excellent performance," going on to say that "Australia's success at the Beijing Winter Olympics depends on the performance of Australian athletes, not on the attendance of Australian officials and the political posturing by some Australian politicians."

Around 40 Australian athletes are expected to compete in the Games, which will start on February 4, with Australian Olympic Committee support staff accompanying them

Canberra follows in the footsteps of Washington

The US administration announced last Monday a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held between February 4-20, citing "human rights abuses," due to what it called the "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity," in a move that will not stop US athletes from competing.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games given the PRC's (People's Republic of China) ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses."

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

China responds

Earlier, China had threatened "countermeasures" if such a boycott were announced.

"I want to stress that the Winter Olympic Games is not a stage for political posturing and manipulation," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in response to weekend media reports that a boycott could be imminent.