US, China may not attend the Beijing Winter Olympics… “Final decision not made”

White House spokesman turns from no change earlier this month to under review

Chinese President Xi Jinping is checking the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games on the 18th of last month. [이미지출처=AP연합뉴스]

[아시아경제 뉴욕=백종민 특파원] It turns out that the U.S. government is considering the possibility of not participating in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

White House spokesman Jen Saki said at a regular briefing on the 25th (local time) when asked about participation in the Beijing Olympics, “the final decision has not been made.” “Of course we will seek guidance from the US Olympic Committee.”

[이미지출처=로이터연합뉴스]

This was a different statement from Saki’s statement earlier this month that “we are not considering changes in the Beijing Winter Olympics participation plan,” sparking the interest of the US media.

This remark is raising the perception that Joe Biden’s US administration is considering its response to China and has put the possibility of not attending the Beijing Winter Olympics on the table.

In recent years, the pressure of the Beijing Winter Olympics boycott is increasing in the US politics. The resolution to withdraw the Beijing Winter Olympics, initiated by Senator Rick Scott, was jointly initiated by six Republicans. Lawmakers pointed out that China has trampled democracy and human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and pressed the Olympics to be withdrawn.

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley also insisted that President Biden should make a boycott decision, saying, “The Beijing Winter Olympics will step on the path of the Berlin Olympics, which fell into Nazi propaganda.”

On the other hand, the Chinese government is focusing on raising the atmosphere of the Olympics, with President Xi Jinping visiting the Olympic Stadium a year ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

New York = correspondent Baek Jong-min [email protected]