We are contemplating diplomatic boycott of Winter Olympics in Beijing: US President Biden

President Joe Biden mentioned Thursday he was contemplating a US diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, in what could be an try to point out toughness over China’s rights abuses with out impacting US athletes.

That is “something we are considering,” Biden advised reporters whereas assembly with Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, on the White House. The Beijing Olympics happen subsequent February.Biden’s remark adopted a video summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping late Monday, throughout which the 2 leaders mentioned they needed to make sure stability and forestall unintended conflicts.ALSO READ: China-US ought to respect one another: Jinping tells ‘outdated buddy’ Biden at summitHowever, Biden is underneath stress at dwelling to talk out on China’s human rights abuses, particularly in Xinjiang the place the US authorities says repression of the Uyghur ethnic group qualifies as genocide.On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that the Biden administration would quickly announce a diplomatic boycott, which means that whereas athletes would nonetheless compete, authorities representatives wouldn’t be within the stands.White House officers mentioned that the problem was not raised in the course of the Biden-Xi digital summit.US-CHINA RELATIONSUnder Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, US-Chinese relations hit a low level with an enormous commerce conflict and incendiary debate over how the Covid-19 virus first emerged within the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan.Biden has sought to reengage with Beijing, whereas on the identical time specializing in strengthening conventional US alliances to counter China’s ever-growing financial clout and army presence throughout the Indo-Pacific area.He has held two prolonged cellphone calls with Xi and was eager to satisfy in individual. However, with the Chinese chief not touring exterior of the nation for the reason that begin of the Covid pandemic, this week’s digital summit was the one potential subsequent step.Following Biden’s point out of a potential Olympics boycott, Press Secretary Jen Psaki mentioned she didn’t “have an update on what our presence will be.” “I want to give the national security team and the president space to make the decision,” she mentioned.For Biden, that call can be a part of a fancy diplomatic balancing act.His administration has left Trump-era commerce tariffs on China in place and continues to order naval patrols by delicate worldwide sea lanes that China is accused of making an attempt to deliver underneath its management.However, with Biden additionally emphasizing the necessity for dialogue, critics on the proper say he’s being too delicate.This makes the looming Olympic Games a political flashpoint.”The United States must implement a complete and total boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The threat to our athletes and China’s crimes against humanity leave us no other option,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton tweeted Thursday.The United States should implement a whole and whole boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.The risk to our athletes and China’s crimes in opposition to humanity go away us no different possibility. pic.twitter.com/lSLvKhJPMd— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) November 18, 2021
Psaki mentioned the White House sees US-China relations “through the prism of competition, not conflict.” However, she added “we have serious concerns” about human rights.ALSO READ: Chinese govt a monster that eats its kids: Ex-Interpol president’s wifeALSO READ: India, China maintain border talks, deal with disengagement from Hot Springs space