BEIJING (AP) – The Chinese government warned Washington on Wednesday not to boycott next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing after the Biden administration said it spoke with allies about a concerted approach. to complaints about human rights violations.
A State Department spokesman dismissed allegations of abuse against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region. He warned of an unspecified “robust Chinese response” to a possible Olympic boycott.
“The politicization of sport will harm the spirit of the Olympic Charter and the interests of athletes from all countries,” said spokesman Zhao Lijian. “The international community, including the US Olympic Committee, will not accept it.”
Human rights groups are protesting the Chinese host of the games, which kicks off in February 2022. They have pushed for a boycott. or other measures to draw attention to allegations of Chinese abuse against Uyghurs, Tibetans and residents of Hong Kong.
The US State Department suggested an Olympic boycott was a possibility, but a senior official later said a boycott was not discussed. The International Olympic Committee and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee have said in the past that they are against boycotts.