Canada and the United Kingdom joined the U.S. in saying no government officials will attend the Winter Games in Beijing.
China on Thursday dismissed the decision by Canada and the United Kingdom to join Washington’s diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games as a “farce.” China is also not concerned that the officials’ absence would spark a chain reaction, and numerous heads of state, government leaders and members of royal families have registered to attend, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing. The three countries have said they won’t send government dignitaries to the games, which run Feb.4-20, to protest human rights abuses in China, while New Zealand said it informed Beijing earlier that it wouldn’t be sending any officials due to pandemic travel restrictions but had also communicated its human rights concerns. Under the diplomatic boycott, the countries will still send their athletes to compete. Wang said China had not extended invitations to the U.S., Canada or the U.K. and that it “doesn’t matter if their officials come or not, they will see the success of the Beijing Winter Olympics.” “Sports has nothing to do with politics,” Wang said.
