China Condemns Biden's Olympic Boycott Remarks as "Interference in Internal Affairs"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo Yoo-jin] China strongly opposed U.S. President Joe Biden's remarks about considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, calling it interference in internal affairs.

On the 19th, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded to a question about President Biden's consideration of a boycott at a regular briefing, saying, "No external forces are allowed to interfere in any form or under any pretext regarding the Xinjiang issue."

He continued, "It is ridiculous for the United States to smear China by claiming forced labor exists in Xinjiang," and "The U.S. accusations against China concerning human rights issues are not based on facts."

He also criticized the boycott of the Olympics as politicizing sports. Spokesperson Zhao emphasized, "The Beijing Olympics is a stage for athletes from all over the world, and they are the protagonists," adding, "Politicizing sports goes against the Olympic spirit and harms the interests of athletes from all countries."

Earlier, on the 18th (local time), President Biden said at a press conference following a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House that he is "considering" a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics when asked about it. This is the first time President Biden has mentioned the possibility of a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

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