On December 7, 2021, the U.S. government announced a “diplomatic boycott” of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing human rights abuses. Biden government explained that they will still send athletes, but not officials. However, on December 28, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian satirized U.S visa applications of 18 officials of the country to attend the Beijing Olympics which will start on February 4,2022. “On the one hand, the United States claims it will not send diplomatic or official representatives to the Olympics in February, but on the other hand, it has applied for visas for their government officials.” According to Mr. Zhao, the U.S government’s move is puzzling and it’s a slap in its own face.
Photo from REUTERS/Thomas Peter
The contradictory move reflects the American anxiety in the extreme competition with China. When American finds that they are in a disadvantage situation in pandemic control, economic recovery, international influence, etc., they will do everything possible to suppress China in order to maintain their world supremacy. Human right is just one of political weapons, and unfortunately, the Beijing Olympics Game becomes their political victim. Two years ago, the Covid-19 virus began spreading rapidly in China and caused severe damage to the country. Today, China’s economy is bouncing back well, and expanding even faster than it did before the pandemic. China’s economic growth will exceed its target above 6% in 2021. China is the only major economy in the world to expand fast as the pandemic ravaged businesses around the globe. China’s containment success has buoyed its economy and the ruling communist party’s claims to global leadership in the post-pandemic world. Just like what happened in 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Game, the whole world has confidence that China will have another successful Olympics Game. Beijing will be the unique city in the world that holds both Winter and Summer Olympics Games. As world’s only superpower and major geopolitical competitor of China , the U.S government is jealous by China’s performance. Instead of fighting against the coronavirus, the U.S government is caught in a partisan struggle. Instead of reviewing its incompetence in handling pandemic and reviving its economy, the U.S government points its fingers to China. More than 1 million new Covid-19 daily cases outbreak sets a bad record and an ugly example to the world, thus the U.S has lost the moral persuasion as world leader. Many people believe that American ruling classes attack China only to transfer domestic conflicts and problems and the Olympics Game boycott is one of its political games.
What’s the Olympic Spirit? According to the founder of the modern Olympic Game Mr. Pierre de Coubertin, “The important thing is not to win, but to take part and view athletes who try their best but finish last as epitomizing the “Olympic Spirit”.” The U.S government’s boycott move is apparently against Olympic Spirit which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. Eventually, the said boycott move is ridiculed by International community. In Southeastern Asia, no ASEAN country responds to the U.S government boycott call.
Asian people have clear mind that sports is sports, politics should not be involved in sports, and Olympics should not be polluted and destroyed by politicians. The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practice without discrimination of any kind. The U.S government’s boycott move forces Olympic members to choose sides between the U.S and China, thus dividing, and certainly not uniting the world. Actually, very few countries follow Americans failed political game.
The U.S boycott move was quickly followed by Australia, Britain, and Canada. When the big brother eats his words, these little followers are being put in an awkward state. They are embarrassing themselves if their officials apply visa also, and I believe they have thousands of complaints against their group master. Against to the world cooperation and globalization tendencies, the U.S government is keen on forming different factions like “ Five Eyes Alliance “. Beijing Winter Olympics Games is a festival event for the people all over the world, and everyone knows that China has been making huge success in improving its people’s living standard and human rights, but the U.S government still tries to hinder the pure sports festival citing imaginary human rights stories. Sooner or later the U.S government will be isolated by the world, and even their little followers will leave them.
China is already in the final stage preparation for the Beijing Winter Olympics. With more stringent protocols and system, and strong support from International community, everything will push through regardless of the “diplomatic boycott” move of very few countries.
