US Urges Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Olympics... China Condemns It as "Foolish Courage"

Beijing National Stadium (Niao Chao), used as the main stadium for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. It is under construction to be reused for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] On the 18th (local time), Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, urged a diplomatic boycott by sending only athletes to the Beijing Winter Olympics scheduled for February next year. In response, the Chinese government fiercely criticized her, calling it ignorant courage.

According to Bloomberg News, Speaker Pelosi proposed at a hearing of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Congress that the U.S. respect the athletes by allowing them to participate in the Olympics but not send any official delegation to the opening or closing ceremonies. Pelosi raised the idea of a diplomatic boycott as a protest against China’s human rights abuses in Hong Kong and the western Xinjiang region.

She said, "Let’s not honor the Chinese government by having national leaders go to China to show support for their athletes." She questioned what moral authority the world could have to speak about human rights if it shows respect to a Chinese government committing genocide.

Earlier, Republican Senator Mitt Romney and Democratic Senator Tim Kaine submitted a bill to Congress prohibiting funding for sending official delegations to China, citing human rights issues.

In the past, former President Jimmy Carter decided not to participate in the Moscow Olympics in 1980 due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan during the U.S.-Soviet Cold War.

In retaliation, the Soviet Union did not send a delegation to the Los Angeles Olympics held in the U.S. four years later.

Bloomberg noted that some lawmakers have urged not to send even athletes to China, and Pelosi’s proposal could help prevent Congress from pushing for a full boycott.

In response, Zhao Lijian (趙立堅), spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out at a regular briefing on the 19th that "some U.S. individuals are insulting China and trying to disrupt the Beijing Olympics by raising human rights issues with ideological and political prejudice."

Spokesperson Zhao criticized, "The remarks by some U.S. individuals are full of false information and represent a typical American farce that cannot be realized," adding, "I don’t know where this ignorant courage claiming so-called moral authority comes from."

Zhao stated, "Racism is a historical original sin and a current problem in the U.S.," and argued, "The continuation of extremism such as white supremacy, discrimination against African Americans, and hatred against Asians in the U.S. today shows that the U.S. is not qualified to be a human rights teacher." He warned, "Some U.S. politicians should stop their despicable political games using the Olympics and not stand in opposition to athletes and Olympic enthusiasts from all countries."

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