US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that America was considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics to protest China’s human rights record, which includes what Washington calls genocide against minority Muslims.
When asked if a diplomatic boycott was being considered as he sat down for a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden answered, ‘Something we’re considering.’
A diplomatic boycott would mean that no US officials would attend the February opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
A decision by the US not to send ambassadors would be a shock to Chinese President Xi Jinping, coming just days after Xi and Biden met virtually to try to defuse tensions in their first substantive conversations since Biden took to office in January.
Activists and members of Congress from both parties have urged the Biden administration to boycott the event diplomatically because the US accuses China of committing genocide against Muslim ethnic communities in its western Xinjiang province, which Beijing denies.
Post Your Comments