The US may not send an official delegation to the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in China in February. The background is allegations of human rights violations in the People’s Republic. On Thursday, US President Joe Biden described a so-called diplomatic boycott of the Games in Beijing as a possibility that was being considered. He spoke at a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Human rights activists and members of Congress from both parties have called for such a boycott on the US government. Usually, governments send a high-level delegation of diplomats to Olympic opening ceremonies. The Beijing Winter Games will take place from February 4th to 20th. The US accuses China of committing genocide in the predominantly Muslim Uyghur province of Xinjiang. The government in Beijing rejects this. Most recently, Biden had talks with the Chinese head of state Xi Jinping as part of a video summit. According to the US, it was also about human rights in general.