China Invites Ambassadors from 30 Countries in China to Beijing Winter Olympics Venues

Invitation events during Lunar New Year holidays in Korea, Japan, Russia, Italy, France, Germany, etc.
Wang Yi, Foreign Minister, emphasizes successful hosting... Event likely organized amid Olympic boycott movements

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an event inviting ambassadors and high-ranking diplomats from over 30 countries to the venues of the '2022 Beijing Winter Olympics' during the Lunar New Year holiday period.

As six Republican senators in the United States submitted a resolution to withdraw from the Olympics citing the Hong Kong National Security Law, human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, and suppression of democracy in Hong Kong, and as Olympic boycott movements emerged worldwide, this high-level diplomatic invitation event appears to have been held to appease such tensions.

According to the Chinese state-run People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency on the 15th, Wang Yi, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, invited ambassadors and high-ranking diplomats from over 30 countries stationed in China from the 13th to the 14th, inspecting the Olympic venues in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The People's Daily reported that ambassadors and high-ranking diplomats stationed in China from South Korea, Japan, Russia, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, and others attended the event.

Minister Wang said, "With the countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics underway, all preparations are currently proceeding in an orderly manner," adding, "China will make the Olympics a safe and splendid celebration." He continued, "President Xi Jinping recently inspected the Olympic preparation sites, showing that the Chinese government places great importance on hosting the Olympics," emphasizing, "The Beijing Winter Olympics will strive to inherit the Olympic spirit and become a human event that connects ideology and civilization."

Although the Chinese government expresses confidence in hosting the Olympics, the reality is challenging. Although COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed, it is uncertain whether global herd immunity can be achieved by February next year.

Above all, the Western bloc, including the United States, is showing movements to boycott the Winter Olympics over issues such as human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, posing a considerable burden on the Chinese government. The Chinese leadership plans to demonstrate the 'rise of China' through a series of events including the declaration of a Xiaokang society (a moderately prosperous society for all people) in the first half of this year, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party in the second half, and the successful hosting of the Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, regarding this event, Chinese media did not disclose whether countries that have taken a confrontational stance against China, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, attended.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.