China has threatened the Biden administration with retaliation over its decision to impose a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, warning the move could harm bilateral relations,
CNN reports.
The Biden administration said Monday it would not send an official United States delegation to the Beijing Winter Games as a statement against China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang." US athletes will still be allowed to compete in the Games.
Responding to the White House announcement, China's Foreign Ministry said it had launched "solemn representation" with the US and vowed to take "resolute countermeasures."
"Out of ideological bias and based on lies and rumors, the US is trying to disrupt the Beijing Winter Olympics. This will only expose its sinister intention and further erode its moral authority and credibility," ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a news conference Tuesday.
"The wrong move of the US has undermined the foundation and atmosphere for China-US sports exchanges and Olympic cooperation. It has shot itself in the foot. The US should understand the grave consequences of its move," Zhao said.
Relations between the two superpowers had recently begun to improve, following last month's virtual summit between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
While Beijing might not be too concerned about the absence of American politicians, it could turn into a bigger headache if the US move is joined by more countries. Previously, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have all said they were considering a diplomatic boycott.
Activists have long called for a boycott of the Beijing Games in protest of China's human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet, and its political crackdown on Hong Kong. Over the past month, Beijing's silencing of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai's sexual assault allegations against a former Chinese leader has further amplified such calls.
The US diplomatic boycott has been welcomed by rights groups. Human Rights Watch called it a "crucial step toward challenging the Chinese government's crimes against humanity targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic communities."
