The United States' diplomatic presence at the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics is up in the air. President Joe Biden and White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said that there is a possibility of a diplomatic boycott. News outlet Reuters tweeted a video of their responses when asked about the situation.
The United States is considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, President Joe Biden confirmed, a move that would be aimed at protesting China's human rights record https://t.co/abiUoQIfUQ pic.twitter.com/c3k2d2GH0I
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 18, 2021
When asked if he “supports a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics,” President Biden replied, “Something we are considering.” But why?
Psaki told reporters that they are considering this because of the administration's concerns involving China, including “humans rights abuses.”
An article published by Reuters mentions that this is not a new idea for the administration. According to Reuters, “Activists and members of Congress from both parties have been pressing the Biden administration to diplomatically boycott the event.” The article goes on to say that these pushes from multiple groups come from the U.S. government's accusation that China is “carrying out a genocide against Muslim ethnic groups.” These accusations are specifically for the western Xinjiang region of the country.
What does this mean for U.S. Olympic athletes?
If the White House decides to go through with a diplomatic boycott, it should not affect the athletes. This would only mean that there would not be United States officials at the opening of the Beijing Olympics. The upcoming games are expected to begin on February 4th of 2022.
Follow Us
Subscribe