UK will not send officials to Olympics
LONDON – No U.K. government minister will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Wednesday, calling it “effectively” a diplomatic boycott.
The announcement came after the White House and the Australian government confirmed diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Olympics in February to protest Chinese human rights abuses. China has vowed to react with “firm countermeasures.”
When asked in the House of Commons on Wednesday whether Britain would join in the diplomatic action, Johnson said “There will be effectively a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing.”
“No ministers are expected to attend and no officials,” he told lawmakers. “The government has no hesitation in raising these issues with China, as I did with President Xi the last time I talked to him.”
Johnson said he did not believe “sporting boycotts are sensible,” and that remains his government’s policy. The diplomatic moves by Britain, the U.S. and Australia do not affect their athletes’ ability to compete in the Winter Games.
The White House confirmed Monday that it was staging a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing to protest Chinese human rights abuses.
Australia followed suit earlier Wednesday, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying it was “in Australia’s national interest.”
Rights groups have called for a fullblown boycott of the Beijing Winter Games.