Graphic by Tae Hong
Matthew Quisel
News Reporter
On February 4, China will be hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. However, over the past few weeks, many Western countries, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada, have incited a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, voicing their concerns over the repeated human rights violations of the Chinese government.
Many human rights groups and politicians have been pushing for this boycott due to China’s recent human rights violations in the Xinjiang province. Additionally, the boycotts are also protesting China’s anti-democratic policies towards Hong Kong. Although these countries will continue to send their athletes, they have abstained from sending government officials to Beijing for the games.
Unsurprisingly, China is outraged by the boycott. Chinese officials have accused the countries, namely the U.S., of “political manipulation” and committing “a grave travesty of the spirit of the Olympic Charter.” Furthermore, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese official, threatened the U.S., saying: “The U.S. will pay a price for its erroneous actions. You may wait and see.”
Despite the threats by China, Western countries have continued their diplomatic boycott and will not be attending the Olympics. Overall, it is clear that this year’s games are at the center of global political division instead of the global unity that the games are meant to bring. Being the first significant boycott of the Olympics since the Cold War, it is evident that international politics are possibly moving towards a heightened state of political division and polarization.
Regardless, the boycotts of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will likely remain unnoticeable on the viewer’s end, allowing those interested to watch their favorite winter sports without conflict.
