Australia joins US in diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Wednesday that government officials would not attend the Winter Olympics in Beijing, joining the US in a diplomatic boycott of the premier global sporting event.

Morrison said China had not addressed concerns raised by the Australian government on several fronts, including over human rights abuses.

“Australia will not step back from the strong position we’ve had standing up for Australia’s interests,” Morrison told reporters in Sydney. 

“It is not surprising, therefore, that Australian government officials would not be going to China” for the Olympic Games, he said.  

The prime minister added that Australian athletes will compete in the games. 

The Australian Olympic Committee confirmed Canberra’s decision would have no bearing on the estimated 40 Australian athletes who are expected to compete at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February. 

Tense Australia-Chinese relations

In announcing the boycott, Morrison said the decision was due to difficulties in reopening diplomatic channels to Beijing, human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Beijing’s moves against Australian imports.

Australian leaders have been confined to the use of diplomatic channels as Chinese officials refuse to directly discuss sensitive topics of concern.

Morrison’s decision to have the country join the US in a boycott of the Beijing games has the potential to further strain Australian-Chinese relations. China is Australia’s largest trading partner.

China: ‘Nobody cares’ if Australian officials attend Games

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Australia was “blindly following” the US in announcing a diplomatic boycott, adding “whether they come or not, nobody cares.”

Chinese officials added that the decision did not chime with past Australian statements that Canberra hoped for an improvement in relations.

“As everyone knows, Australia is solely responsible for the current plight of Sino-Australia relations,” said a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in the Australian capital.

“Australia’s decision not to send officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics runs counter to its public statements of so-called hopes that China-Australia relations could improve.”
Relations took a downturn in 2018 when Canberra blocked Huawei from the country’s 5G broadband network.

Relations took another hit after Australia called for an independent investigation into the origin of COVID-19.

In response, Beijing imposed tariffs on several Australian coal, beef, barley and wine.

China reacts angrily to US boycott news

On Monday, the US announced its plans for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics due to what it labeled China’s human rights “atrocities.”

The US move came weeks after talks between leaders of the two countries aimed at rapprochement.

China reacted angrily, saying the US would “pay the price” there would be “resolute countermeasures in response.”

ar/wmr (AFP, Reuters)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/australia-joins-us-in-diplomatic-boycott-of-beijing-olympics/a-60052020?maca=en-rss-en-sports-1027-xml-atom