Beijing Winter Olympics: US considering boycott over China's human rights record, says State Department
The 2022 Winter Olympics takes place in Beijing from February 4 - February 20; the Biden administration has not yet made a final decision on whether the country will take part; US State Department has cited examples of alleged human rights violations as a reason for a possible boycott
By Associated Press
Last Updated: 07/04/21 7:39am
The Biden administration is considering a possible boycott of the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics to protest against China's human rights record, the U.S State Department has said.
Department spokesman Ned Price said the US is consulting with like-minded countries around the world to determine how to proceed.
Price says the administration is discussing China's strategy, including participation in the Olympics, with a number of partners and allies in order to present a united front.
"Part of our review of those Olympics and our thinking will involve close consultations with partners and allies around the world," he told reporters.
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"We have consistently said when it comes to our concerns with the government in Beijing, including Beijing's egregious human rights violations, its conduct of genocide in the case of Xinjiang, that what the United States does is meaningful, what the United States does will have an impact, but everything we do that brings along our allies and partners will have all the more influence with Beijing."
Human rights groups are protesting China's hosting of the Games, which are set to start in February 2022.
They have urged a diplomatic or straight-up boycott of the event to call attention to alleged Chinese abuses against Uighurs, Tibetans, and residents of Hong Kong.
Price declined to say when a decision might be made but noted there is still almost a year until the Games are set to begin.
"These Games remain some time away. I wouldn't want to put a timeframe on it, but these discussions are underway," he said.
"It is something that we certainly wish to discuss and it is certainly something that we understand that a coordinated approach will be not only in our interest but also in the interest of our allies and partners.
"So this is one of the issues that are on the agenda, both now and going forward."
China has denied all charges of human rights abuses and says "political motives" underlie the boycott effort.
Rights groups have met with the International Olympic Committee and have been told the Olympic body must stay politically neutral. They have been told by the IOC China has given assurances about human rights conditions.
Both the IOC and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee have said in the past that they oppose boycotts.
In March, IOC president Thomas Bach said history shows that boycotts never achieve anything.
"It also has no logic," he said.
"Why would you punish the athletes from your own country if you have a dispute with a government from another country? This just makes no real sense."
The USOPC has questioned the effectiveness of boycotts.
"We oppose Games boycotts because they have been shown to negatively impact athletes while not effectively addressing global issues," the governing body said.
"We believe the more effective course of action is for the governments of the world and China to engage directly on human rights and geopolitical issues."
