The U.S. State Department said Tuesday (April 6) that it is considering discussions with its allies on a boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics for a coordinated approach, AFP reported. This is because of growing pressure from human rights groups and politicians.
When asked if the U.S. was considering a joint boycott with its allies, State Department spokesman Ned Price replied, “That’s certainly something we’re going to discuss,” according to the report.
He continued, “We believe that a coordinated approach is not only in our interest, but also in the interest of our allies and partners.”
Later that afternoon, Price elaborated in a tweet that he was referring to a coordinated U.S. approach with allies, not that the U.S. was specifically discussing a joint boycott. He wrote: “As I said, we don’t have any announcements about the Beijing Olympics. 2022 is quite some time away, but we will continue to consult closely with our allies and partners to identify our shared concerns and determine our common approach to the CPC.”
Price also said at the press conference that the Biden administration has not yet made a decision on the issue, but he expressed concern about China’s serious human rights violations, including what he called “genocide” in Xinjiang.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in February that the administration would consult with the U.S. Olympic Committee on the issue.
Several human rights groups and some Republicans have recently called for a U.S. boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, citing the persecution of Uighurs in Xinjiang by Beijing authorities.
Previously, the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; four years later, the Soviet Union responded with a boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics.
Also according to Reuters, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsushin said today that Japan and the United States have not discussed a possible boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
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