Major states such as the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan have already announced a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, citing ongoing human rights abuse and lack of protection of democratic values in the host country, China. It was stressed that only athletes from said countries would participate in the Games, to be held from February 4 to 20, and that no member of their governments would attend the opening ceremony. The Chinese side says that all these decisions are of a political nature and, most importantly, disrespectful to the long-standing values and principles of the Olympics.
In continuation of Trump’s tough foreign policy, the Biden administration continues to steadily build up its pressure on China. While under the previous administration this pressure manifested itself more in trade and economy (additional customs duties on Chinese-origin goods, sanctions against technology companies, etc.), the current one is trying to nail China on universal issues, such as human rights and democratic values. Beijing’s systematic aggressive expansionist policies and geopolitical/geoeconomic attacks, as well as insurmountable growth in the military-strategic sphere and, most important, in high technology, in contrast to the long tradition of a balanced foreign policy of nonalignment, noninterference in conflicts, and preserving relations with both global and regional powers, are important factors in shaping the above picture.
One of the key details that prompted the rift in the interstate relations was the United States and its allies accusing China of committing genocide against ethnic Uyghurs and exploiting them in forced labor camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, one of the country’s five autonomous regions. According to official Beijing, all the claims made are groundless and the accusations, which bear no relation to reality, are an attempt to interfere in China’s internal affairs.
Moreover, there have been allegations that even the raw materials used to manufacture the apparel for the athletes who will participate in the Olympics are a product of forced labor in that very region. China, for its part, has expressed concern that fabrications and unconstructive official statements, part of the West’s smear campaign aimed at undermining the country’s international reputation, could be detrimental to the diplomatic relations between the countries.
A positive development in the context of the current turbulent international relations and political controversies is that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be the first Olympics to be based entirely on alternative energy sources. Carbon reduction and environmental protection have been among the state’s top priorities in recent years. The clean and green Olympics is thus planned as an extension of government policies under China’s Innovative Green Development Program. Thus, the energy that will be used at the venues of the Games will be generated entirely by equipment powered by solar and wind energy. It should be noted that the infrastructure for the competitions in and around Beijing will also be the place where practical application of many technological innovations will become possible for the first time. Most of the vehicles to be used in the run-up to the Olympics will also be equipped with all-electric or hydrogen engines. Instead of building new infrastructure, to reduce carbon emissions, existing facilities left over from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics have been renovated and re-commissioned to meet current requirements and conditions.
It seems that this time the Olympics will be remembered not for the athletes’ scores and the newly implemented innovative standards, but for the political events against the background of the standoff between China and the US. There have been many similar instances in the modern history of the Olympic Games, the world’s largest international sporting event. Unfortunately, in some cases, political events and incidents during the Games cast a shadow over the achievements of the athletes and the purpose and spirit of the event. The Olympic Committee, seeking to promote international dialogue and public relations, has had to deal with wars (Berlin 1916, Tokyo 1940 and London 1944 Summer Olympics), boycotts (Moscow 1980 and Sarajevo 1984 Summer Olympics), protests (Montreal 1976 and Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics), pandemics (Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics), and even terrorist attacks (Munich 1972 Summer Olympics).
Aze.Media
