The United Kingdom on Wednesday announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing becoming the fourth country to keep officials away from the games because of China’s poor human rights record.
Great Britain is the latest country to follow the U.S. lead in staging a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics. Australia and Lithuania also have joined the boycott.
“There will be effectively a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told lawmakers. “No ministers are expected to attend and no officials.”
“The government has no hesitation in raising these issues with China as I did with President Xi the last time I talked with him,” he continued.
China seethed over the diplomatic snub in which officials stay away but athletes still participate. A government spokesperson this week vowed to respond with “firm countermeasures” but declined to go into detail about what steps it would take.
Several governments, including the U.S., Australia, and Great Britain have accused China of human rights abuses and genocide against Uyghur Muslims in the northwest Xinjiang province.
• This article is based in part on wire reports.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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