Thursday, December 9th, 2021
Baerbock wants a European solution
China reacts angrily to the Olympic boycott
Because four western states will not send government representatives to the Winter Olympics in China, Beijing is threatened with consequences. It remains unclear how the new federal government will act on the matter. Berlin and Paris are probably relying on a joint decision.
After the announcement of a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China warned four western countries of the consequences. The US, Australia, UK and Canada “will inevitably pay the price for their wrongdoing,” said Beijing State Department spokesman Wang Wenbin. He denounced the “use of the Olympic platform for political manipulation”.
The US announced on Monday that it would not send government officials to the Olympic Games in February because of human rights violations in China. However, US athletes should take part in the major event. Canada, Britain and Australia joined the diplomatic boycott on Wednesday.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is counting on a common European approach to the question of a possible diplomatic boycott of the Games. “We will decide together in the new federal government how we will deal with it further, but in accordance with our European friends,” said the Green politician after a meeting with her French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris.
Sexual assault allegations
Baerbock also addressed the case of tennis player Peng Shuai in this context. The former world number one in doubles published allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician on the Weibo social network in early November. The post was deleted soon after. Since then, athletes, politicians and human rights activists have expressed concern for the tennis player’s well-being.
“At this point I would like to say, consciously and clearly, that if a woman raises such allegations, it must be heard in an international context,” said Baerbock. One now has to investigate and then come to a common answer as Europeans. Le Drian also said the question of a possible diplomatic boycott would be dealt with at European level. France’s education and sports minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, told BFM TV that France would not practice a diplomatic boycott.
China is also criticized for human rights violations in its dealings with Uyghurs and Tibetans, for suppressing the democracy movement in Hong Kong, and for threats against Taiwan. The US announced earlier this week that it would not send diplomatic or official representatives to the Olympic Games in China. Australia, Canada and the UK followed suit.