China warns countries that have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games will regret it. The United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom “will inevitably pay the price for their misconduct,” a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said.
Countries participating in the diplomatic boycott will not send top officials to the Games. However, athletes are still allowed to participate.
The US was the first country to take this measure, and Washington’s allies later followed suit. They say they are concerned about the human rights situation in China. The Communist People’s Republic is under fire, among other things, for its treatment of the Uyghurs minority.
China accuses Western countries of misusing the sporting event for “political manipulation”. The Chinese ministry spokesman said that countries participating in the “unpopular” boycott are self-isolating.
Other countries are still considering their position or are abandoning a boycott. French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said his country would not participate in the campaign. Russia has criticized the joint action of the allies. The Kremlin says the Olympics should be “free from politics”.