Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused U.S.
politicians of grandstanding over the issue of not sending dignitaries to
attend the events that China hopes will showcase its economic development and
technological prowess.
Speaking to reporters at a daily briefing, Zhao said such a
move would be an “outright political provocation,” but gave no details on how
China would retaliate.
U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is considering a
boycott, under which American athletes would still compete, and an announcement
is expected this week. Supporters of such a step cite China’s poor record on
human rights as justification, saying China is using the games to whitewash its
ill treatment of civil rights activists, political dissidents and ethnic
minorities.
“Without being invited, American politicians keep hyping the
so-called diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympic, which is purely
wishful thinking and grandstanding,” Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing.
“If the U.S. side is bent on going its own way, China will
take firm countermeasures,” Zhao said.
The dispatching of high-level delegations to each Olympics
has long been a tradition among the U.S. and other leading nations —
then-president George W. Bush attended the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic
Summer Games. First lady Jill Biden led the American contingent to the Summer
Olympics in Tokyo this year and second gentleman Doug Emhoff led a delegation to
the Paralympic Games.
The possibility of a diplomatic boycott comes as the U.S.
attempts to stabilize turbulent relations with Beijing, even as it maintains a
tough approach toward trade frictions and conflicts over China’s actions on
Taiwan, human rights, Hong Kong and the South China Sea.
Beijing has mounted a stiff response to all U.S. criticisms,
denouncing them as interference in its internal affairs and slapping visa bans
on American politicians it regards as anti-China.
It wasn’t clear who the U.S. might have sent to Beijing for
the games and Zhao’s comments appeared to indicate that China has not extended
any invitations.
Australia, whose ties with China have nosedived over a range
of disputes, has also raised the possibility of a diplomatic boycott.
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