RT.com
07 Dec 2021, 05:42 GMT+10
Beijing has shot back after Washington declared a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics, saying American leaders weren?t invited to the event to begin with while blasting the move as ?political manipulation.?
Asked about the boycott announced by the Joe Biden administration earlier on Monday, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the US, Liu Pengyu, told Reuters that the decision contradicts the "spirit" of the Olympics, though added that it would have no negative effect on the games, set for China in February.
"Such a pretentious act is only a political manipulation and a grave distortion of the spirit of the Olympic Charter. In fact, no one would care about whether these people come or not, and it has no impact whatsoever on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics to be successfully held," he said.
Liu went even further in a follow-up post on Twitter, sharing a graphic with text denouncing the "State of Democracy in the United States," which went on to say the American system is based on "a game of money in politics," rule from a "minority elite" and a "trust crisis" - all seemingly in reaction to the boycott.
While the Biden administration noted that American athletes would still be permitted to compete in the Olympics, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said US officials would not attend, citing alleged "crimes against humanity" against ethnic and religious minorities in China's Xinjiang province and "other human rights abuses."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry denounced the move soon after it was announced, with spokesman Zhao Lijian blasting it as "grandstanding" and warning of "resolute countermeasures." Beijing's embassy in the Czech Republic has also sparred with its American counterpart online, telling Washington to "stop self-flattering" while also suggesting US officials weren't invited in the first place
Biden officials had discussed a potential boycott publicly for some time, though it was unclear whether the administration would move ahead on the idea after a relatively amicable virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month. Despite calls from Beijing to pursue more "positive" ties as recently as last week, Biden is apparently taking a more confrontational approach, having repeatedly labeled China the US' top "competitor" and a threat that must be countered in the Indo-Pacific.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Irish Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Irish Sun.
More InformationBERLIN, Germany: German Lawmakers are debating whether to loosen the country's strict borrowing rules to fund military expansion. ...
The Voice of America may not live up to its ambitious name for much longer. Michael Abramowitz, the director of VOA, said in a Facebook...
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President Donald Trump has joined Israel's war on Yemen's Houthis, days after the group said it would resume...
LOMPOC, California: NASA launched a new telescope into space this week to study the origins of the universe and search for hidden water...
AUSTIN/SANTA FE: Texas/New Mexico have reported 28 new measles cases in the past five days, bringing the total to 256 since the outbreak...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that helicopters will be permanently banned from flying near Washington...
DUBLIN, Ireland: The need to reduce regulatory burdens in the European Union is finally being acknowledged, according to Ireland's...
BERLIN, Germany: German Lawmakers are debating whether to loosen the country's strict borrowing rules to fund military expansion. ...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Spotify set a new milestone in 2024, paying out US$10 billion in royalties—the highest annual payout to the music...
BELFAST, Northern Ireland: U.S. President Donald Trump expressed strong interest in Northern Ireland during discussions at a high-profile...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Three significant projects focused on marine conservation and climate change adaptation have received over 24 million...
BERLIN, Germany: Volkswagen is set to cut 1,600 jobs at its Cariad software division by the end of the year, affecting nearly 30 percent...